CHICAGO (CBS) -- Three people were injured late Wednesday in a violent crash in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.

The crash occurred late Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of 86th and Carpenter streets – in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood.

Police said a Chevrolet Trailblazer was headed south on Carpenter Street and hit a Chevrolet Equinox head-on. 

CBS 2's Kris Habermehl reported the cars slammed together at high speed. The Equinox smashed into a light pole and left bent and smashed – with the streetlight arm ripped asunder and a one-way sign lying on the parkway.

 The car ended up resting against a house at the corner. Since the lamppost bore the brunt of the impact, the house was not seriously damaged – in a fortunate occurrence for the residents.

The Trailblazer lay wrecked on the parkway near the house.

The Fire Department called an Emergency Medical Services Plan 1 – which automatically sends five ambulances. Three people ended up going to the hospital – identified by police as a 21-year-old man and two 17-year-old boys. Two of the victims were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious-to-critical condition, while one 17-year-old was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Investigators were on the scene late Wednesday.