WILLOWS, Calif. - A crash on County Road 203 in Willows sent a bicyclist to the hospital and a Mercedes into canal waters on Wednesday afternoon. 

According to California Highway Patrol, Mario Vega, 29, was driving a Mercedes sedan northbound on County Road 203, south of County Road 9, around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Vega was driving on a curve and approaching a bicyclist, who was riding on the far right side of the northbound lane. 

For unknown reasons, Vega's vehicle steered right, partially off the road, and struck the bicyclist from behind. 

She was carried a short distance on the front of the Mercedes, but then Vega steered sharply to the left and across both lanes which caused the bicyclist to land in the southbound lane. 

Vega's vehicle continued across the lanes and laned in the canal water. The vehicle drifted with the current for about 100 feet. It was almost completely submerged along the east embankment, but Vega was able to get himself out of the vehicle and check on the bicyclist. 

The unidentified bicyclist was transported to Enloe Medical Center with critical injuries. 

Vega was uninjured. 

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