Edhat Staff
Update by edhat staff
A pedestrian sustained critical injuries after being struck by a semi-truck on the side of Highway 101 near Gaviota.
At 2:15 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters and AMR ground ambulance responded to the southbound lanes, south of Arroyo Quemada Lane.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports a 36-year-old woman from Woodland Hills, who has yet to be identified, was standing on the right shoulder next to a vehicle that was registered to her. For reasons unknown she entered the southbound traffic lanes causing multiple vehicles to take evasive action to avoid colliding with her.
A 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by Rosa Rivas was traveling southbound within the number two lane, approaching the woman who was then standing on the white line that separates the right shoulder from the number two lane. As the tractor-trailer proceeded closer, the woman entered the number two lane directly into the path of travel of the tractor-trailer. The right front of the tractor-trailer collided with the woman within the number two lane.
The woman was treated on scene and transported by ground ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with critical injuries.
CHP is investigating the incident. There are significant traffic delays in the area.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is requested to contact Officer T. Kelly of the Santa Barbara CHP Office at (805) 967-1234 during normal business hours.
The full CHP report is available below.
By Scanner Andrew
Pedestrian hit on Hwy 101 near Refugio. CHP and County Fire are responding to a pedestrian vs semi-truck on Hwy 101 southbound at Arroyo Quemada.
[Ed Note: This article has been updated with additional information from California Highway Patrol]
I wonder what caused her to pull over suddenly, and to exit her vehicle. A 36-yr-old woman from Woodland Hills… was she looking for a spot to access the beach? Did her car malfunction and she needed to pull over quickly (other drivers had to take evasive action to avoid her car as it pulled over)? So odd. I sincerely hope she pulls through.
Maybe a cellphone call that demanded a reply and she was law-abiding and did not want to talk on the phone and drive?
Nature was calling?