DOBSON — The 22-year-old driver of an SUV was airlifted from the scene of a head-on collision Tuesday afternoon on U.S. 601.

Samantha Lawson of 163 Homeplace Park Road, Ararat, was traveling south on 601 when her vehicle crossed the center line, hitting a dump truck traveling northbound almost head-on, according to N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Jimmy Selba. Rescuers worked for 20 minutes to free Lawson, who was pinned inside her vehicle.

The first call for help came into the Surry County 911 Center at 2:25 p.m.

AirCare landed in the yard of the Herrera family at Gideon Way. Lawson was flown to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in stable but critical condition, according to Surry County Emergency Services Director John Shelton.

Dobson Rescue Squad Assistant Chief Brent Robertson said rescuers used the jaws-of-life to peel the roof back on Lawson’s vehicle. She was pinned in from the waist down, sustaining a visible femur fracture and pelvis fractures, he said.

Robertson said a chain was wrapped around the steering column to free Lawson’s lower body.

The driver of the dump truck, Ricky Doub, 56, of East Bend, refused treatment at the scene. He later told the trooper that he intended to go to the emergency room on his own.

Selba said Lawson was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident. He did not believe speed or alcohol were factors in the accident.

Rescuers on the scene said she had possibly “coded” or died on the scene. But by the time she was freed from the wreckage, she was talking to rescuers.

“She is extremely lucky. I didn’t get to talk to her. They took her from the Emergency Room into surgery,” Selba said. He said he needed to talk to her to see what caused her to cross the center line.

Lawson was considered stable at 9:30 p.m., said Selba, who added that he has charged her with left of center.

The Toyota 4-Runner she was driving was a total loss.

Rescuers with the Dobson and Pilot Mountain rescue squads, in addition to firefighters with the Central Surry Volunteer Fire Department and Surry Emergency Services helped at the scene of the accident.

U.S. 601 was reopened to traffic shortly after 5 p.m.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.