MARYSVILLE — One man suffered critical injuries, and three other people were hurt in a four-car crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 9.

Troopers shut down a stretch of Highway 9 for at least a few hours.

A southbound Nissan van rear-ended a Mazda around 4 p.m. at the intersection with 60th Street NE, east of Marysville, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The impact pushed the Mazda into oncoming traffic, where it collided head-on with a northbound Acura, state trooper Heather Axtman said. A Subaru on 60th Street was struck, too.

An ambulance rushed the lone occupant of the Mazda to a local hospital. Three people in the Acura suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The van driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, Axtman said.