A USPS mail carrier was seriously injured on Friday when his vehicle was struck by a big rig while delivering mail in a rural area west of Turlock.

The collision happened around 1 p.m. on Crows Landing Road, near the intersection of Monte Vista Avenue.

The mail carrier, Nicholas Curtricht, was delivering mail on the right shoulder of Crows Landing and then he made a U-turn, which was directly into the path of an oncoming big rig, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The big rig was traveling at an estimated 55 miles per hour when it broadsided the mail truck.

Curtricht sustained major injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.

The driver of the big rig, Larry Springfield, had minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center.