A motorcyclist was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Medical Center and traffic halted for about a half hour in a crash on Bell Road at Quartz Drive in North Auburn Saturday.

The accident, which happened about 3:38 p.m., also involved a GMC Denali and an SUV, according to official reports.

Alta residents Lisa Staab and her daughter, Britteny, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident, said it appeared that the Denali had moderate damage on the left front and the SUV appeared to have little to no damage.

Bell Road was shut down in both directions during the landing of the REACH air ambulance and loading of the patient.

“We could look up Bell Road and traffic went all the way up the hill and all the way back the other way, “ Britteny Staab said.

The busy commercial area was filled with holiday shoppers at the time.

Lisa Staab said there were approximately six vehicles from the Placer County Sheriff’s office, at least three California Highway Patrol vehicles, two fire trucks and an ambulance on the scene. They estimated at least 40 pedestrians watched as the helicopter landed on Bell Road.

“They staged in the middle of Bell Road for a good 15 minutes before the helicopter arrived,” Britteny Staab said. “The helicopter circled a few times before landing.”

According to official reports, there were no other injuries in the crash. CHP officials did not return a call to the Journal before press time and no additional information was available on the accident.