MERCER TWP — A Grove City woman was badly injured Sunday afternoon when a deer went crashing through the windshield of her sport utility vehicle in northern Butler County, state police said.

Darlene Coursen, 57, was a passenger in the SUV that her husband, 60-year-old Terence A. Coursen, was driving. He, too, was hurt in the freak accident.

Both needed hospital treatment for their injuries. Their conditions were not known this morning.

Police said the accident happened about 2 p.m. as the Coursens were traveling north on Route 8 near Montgomery Block, just south of Harrisville. A southbound minivan driven by 46-year-old Jessica C. Hartle of Grove City hit a deer head-on.

The Coursens’ oncoming 2005 Mercury Mariner immediately hit the same deer a second time, flipping it up and into the windshield, police said.

“The animal actually came through the windshield and went over top of her and into the back seat,” said Chief Steve Bickel of the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department.

Firefighters had to rescue Darlene Coursen from the vehicle.

“She was bleeding with facial and other injuries, Bickel said.

An ambulance took her to Harrisville Park near Gun World on Route 8, where a medical helicopter landed and flew her to a Pittsburgh hospital.

Terence Coursen was taken to the Grove City Medical Center with minor injuries. Both Coursens were wearing seat belts.

Hartle and two passengers, a 15-year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl, were not injured. Hartle and the teenager had seats belts on and the girl was in a child safety seat.

The deer died in the rear compartment of the SUV.

The accident restricted Route 8 traffic to one lane for about an hour.