URBANA, Ohio -- Authorities said a desperate attempt by a mother to shield her son from being injured during a crash led to her own injuries.

The crash happened Wednesday morning on Route 68 near Hickory Grove Road in Champaign County.

The driver was identified 18-year-old Chris Turner of Urbana. He said that he and his mother were headed northbound when he swerved to miss a car that had stopped abruptly. He said his mother tried to protect him during the crash.

Turner said, “When I swerved to miss them, my car lost control, came down to the grass here. Me and my mom was in the car. She took off her seat belt and jumped in front of me. We then hit the tree and her head went through the windshield.”

Turner’s mother, 31-year-old Patsy Sanderson, was taken by Careflight to Miami Valley Hospital with head and limb injuries.

Investigators at the scene said they are not sure if Sanderson’s injuries were life-threatening, but removed her as a precaution.

Sheriff Brent Emmons said, “What we have to do is evaluate it. The kind of crashes we get here are more severe because people go 55 mph. So, we are going to evaluate it and continue to patrol it and monitor the situation the best we can.”

The crash remains under investigation.

URBANA: Woman Injured In Crash