Placer Hills Fire District crews used the Jaws of Life Thursday morning to extricate a Colfax woman from her vehicle after she apparently hit a freeway sign and collided with the center divide on westbound Interstate 80 near Applegate.

Amanda Jojo, 18, of Colfax, was taken to Roseville Medical Center with minor injuries, said Kelly Baraga, spokeswoman with the California Highway Patrol.

“She had pain to the nose, a gash on her tongue and pain to her left ankle,” Baraga said.

Chief Ian Gow of the Placer Hills Fire District said Jojo appeared to be alert and was talking to fire personnel following the accident, Gow said.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but initial reports indicate Jojo hit a freeway sign, downing a light pole then crossed all three lanes before colliding with the concrete divide.

The fast lane was blocked for roughly an hour while tow truck crews cleared the scene.

Stephen Johnson of Applegate, who lives near Interstate 80, said he heard the crash’s impact.

“I was getting ready to go to work and I had the front door open when I heard the crash,” Johnson said. “They took out a light pole and ended up in the concrete divide.”

Placer Hills responded to the scene with two engines.

Journal News Editor Michelle Miller-Carl contributed to this report. The Journal’s Jenna Nielsen can be reached at jennan@goldcountrymedia.com.