Frenchs Forest, Grace Ave crash: Elderly woman badly hurt after car hits tree

There was a major emergency on a northern beaches road when an elderly woman, with serious head injuries, had to be freed from a car that struck a tree.

An elderly female driver is in a critical condition in hospital after a car struck a tree in Grace Ave, Frenchs Forest om Monday afternoon. Two other vehicles were involved in the incident. Two other people received minor injuries. Picture: Supplied

An elderly woman suffered serious head injuries when her out of control car rolled and struck a tree on the northern beaches.

The woman, 84, had to be freed from the car by emergency authorities after it left Grace Ave at Frenchs Forest around 3.30pm.

Two other people, who were travelling in two separate vehicles caught up in the incident, suffered minor injuries.

NSW Ambulance said the woman may have suffered a medical episode just prior to the crash.

A spokesman said the woman suffered head injuries and was trapped in her vehicle for a period of time.

The woman was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Authorities called in the CareFlight rapid response emergency helicopter. It landed on Frenchs Forest Showground.

Witnesses saw the Honda sedan drive through a roundabout with Russell Ave, near the Forestway Shopping Centre, and appear to collide with other vehicles.

It then continued down Grace Ave before hitting a speed bump and rolling. Its roof hit the tree.

A CareFlight spokeswoman said that as well as a head injury, the woman suffered a suspected spinal injury and injuries to both arms.

After she was freed from her car, the woman was driven by ambulance to the Showground were she was treated and assessed by a CareFlight emergency doctor.

The doctor determined that she should be taken by road ambulance to hospital.

She was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition, accompanied by the CareFlight doctor.