Gail Ellis, 51, injured, taken to hospital, after her car leaves the Northeast Nichols Boulevard roadway in Longview, crashes into a light pole and overturns.

A Longview woman escaped major injury after crashing into a light pole and flipping her car on Northeast Nichols Boulevard in Longview Tuesday morning.

According to police, Gail Ellis, 51, was apparently speeding as she headed north on Nichols near Ocean Beach Highway just before 5:30 a.m. She lost control the car and careened off the roadway, crashing into a street light pole. The light pole tumbled into the roadway as her vehicle flipped over onto its top.

Police forced their way into the badly damaged car to perform first aid and a Longview Fire engine and paramedic unit took over shortly thereafter. A fire hose was deployed as a precaution as they worked to get her out of the vehicle. AMR paramedics transported her to St. John Medical Center for trauma care. She was treated and had been released by 9:30 a.m.

The case of the accident remains under investigation, but based on initial witness reports, excessive speed is suspected as a contributing factor. No citations have been issued at this point.