A young boy suffered major injuries after being ejected from the pickup truck his mother was driving on Highway 1 in Capitola on Tuesday.
The crash allegedly happened because the mom was using her cell phone and was distracted while driving.
Around 9:12 a.m., the truck flipped five times near the Park Avenue exit before hitting the center divider.
Police say the 5-year-old was not properly buckled in and that's why he was tossed from the automobile. There wasn't a booster seat in the truck, although children 8-years and under are required by law to ride in one.
He was airlifted to a trauma center for treatment.
His mother, identified as a 40-year-old from Watsonville, was also taken to a trauma center for moderate injuries.
Police say they may recommend criminal charges against her.
No one else was involved in the incident.