Postal employee taken to hospital after collision in mail truck

A postal worker was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries Friday after her U.S. Post office jeep was hit near Atascadero.

Wandas Buchnolz, 49 of Atascadero, was stopped on the right shoulder of southbound El Camino Real at Santa Clara Road at 11:25 a.m., according to the CHP. She made a left turn across traffic to deliver a package on the east side of the road.

As she was crossing the lanes, Jenna Watson, 19 of Atascadero, hit the jeep in her 1999 Ford Explorer, according to the CHP. Watson, who had been driving northbound within the speed limit, veered off into a field. The postal jeep came to a rest on the west shoulder, partially blocking a lane of traffic.

While Buchnolz initially appeared uninjured, she fell to the ground when trying to climb out of the jeep. She was taken to Twin Cities Community Hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

Watson complained of pain, but was not taken to the hospital.

-Larissa Doust