A bicyclist has died from their injuries after being struck by a vehicle on State Street Sunday evening and the driver has been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
At 9:37 p.m., emergency responders arrived in the 1900 block of State Street, near Pedregosa Street, for a report of a traffic collision involving an electric bicycle rider and a black SUV.
Multiple Santa Barbara Police Officers, Fire Department personnel, and AMR Paramedics responded. The driver of the SUV remained on the scene.
Once on scene, first responders determined that the bicyclist had suffered major injuries. Life-saving measures were immediately started; however, despite all efforts, the bicyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Due to the seriousness of this collision, the SBPD Critical Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to investigate and Police issued an alert of a road closure on State Street, between Mission and Pedregosa Streets.
The Santa Barbara Police Department states the initial investigation revealed that 36-year-old Santa Barbara resident Christina Almada, the driver of the black SUV, was traveling southbound on State Street when the bicyclist may have veered or turned in front of her vehicle.
During their investigation, investigators noticed that Almada was displaying symptoms of alcohol intoxication. A DUI investigation ensued, and Almada was subsequently arrested for DUI.
Almada was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated, Driving Under the Influence Causing Injury, and Driving Without a License. Almada’s bail was set at $100,000.
The road closure was lifted at 7:00 a.m. Monday.
The investigation into the collision is still active and the Santa Barbara Police Department states no further information can be released at this time.
The bicyclist’s name is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
[Ed Note: This article has been updated with information provided by the Santa Barbara Police Department]
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This is so sad. What’s almost worse though, are the comments online about this. Blaming the cyclist with zero facts, saying “well, it was only a matter of time,” etc etc. The hate for ebikes in our community is off the charts. Demonizing all who ride them has gotten many kids in trouble for doing nothing wrong other than riding an ebike. I’d say, “let’s do better folks,” but it’s clear we can’t.
I am gutted for this rider and their friends and family. I’m also pretty sad about the simplistic, ignorant hate, too many of my fellow residents harbor.
i too was disgusted by the comments I read. “it was only a matter of time” really? for what? some jackass in a vehicle, not paying attention, slamming into the back of a bicycle? yeah. blame the rider? how can you blame a rider when you were not there, don’t know the facts, and after talking with some friends at SBPD, majority of you need to shut it. the hate and demonizing of people riding bikes is BS and horrible. you think you’re better than them because you’re in a car? that’s low and laughable at best.
Obviously sad. No one’s saying anything otherwise. No one’s blaming anyone. No one hates e-bikers. Calm the F- down.
How do you KNein assert the driver of the car involved is “a jackass”?? That’s just knee-jerk ignorance, unless you were there. Were you? If so, stop spewing and get in touch with the PD.
Fact: E-bike vs. car isn’t good for the e-bike, just like regular bicycles. That’s why we all try and follow the rules of the road, cars and bikes. E-bikes riding out with cars in the lanes isn’t good, which we often see. Why not? Basic physics. Either the biker or the driver makes a bad mistake and it’s the biker who will suffer, no matter who made the mistake.
Riding at night…any lights on the e-bikes? If not, you’re going really risky to ride at night. That would be absolutely foolish, in my opinion.
Who knows what happened, and if the car driver stayed on scene I doubt he or she was impaired. We’ll find out. That’s for the PD – remember them?
The usual PC clown or two will look to crucify me personally – probably including my name, profession, place of work, etc. for such “insensitive” statements, of course. I’ll call Bull. Useless anger. Stew on it. Rip your hair out.
The driver has to live with this tragedy for his/her life forever. Ever thought of that? No one hates e-bikers, Sack. Many, many people – including our City leaders on the Council – realize the dangerous and reckless riding a lot of e-bikers are doing around town all the time now. Surely, you must’ve seen or heard of this as a major issue. It clearly needs to be worked out. And it’s not hate for the (e-biker) person, it’s a lot of concern and frustration over their BEHAVIOR, which puts themselves and others around them at risk. Big difference dude. Think.
Auto knee-jerk defend the biker and blame the “car driver” at all costs means jack. Just looking to pick a fight as always, which sucks.
BASIC – We’re talking about the comments all over Facebook, Instagram, etc., Einstein.
Also, did you even read the article? Of course not. You never do. I know you love awful people, but wouldn’t you consider the DRUNK DRIVER to be a “jackass?”
“Riding at night…any lights on the e-bikes?” Nice how you ASSUME (like you always do) the cyclist didn’t have lights. Those ebikes ALL have bright lights.
“No one hates e-bikers, Sack.” – You must have never read any comments here or anywhere online about EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. ebikes are discussed.
“Just looking to pick a fight as always, which sucks.” Dude… LOOK AT YOUR ENTIRE COMMENT.
Look at you losing your svit over something that’s all in your mind.
thank you, Sac. this guy just loves to annoy, antagonize, and irritate. it must suck being him, and being around him. you and i may not always see eye to eye, but majority of the time, we’re on the same team.
“Who knows what happened, and if the car driver stayed on scene I doubt he or she was impaired. We’ll find out. That’s for the PD – remember them?”
READ. THE. ARTICLE.
The article was updated since the initial comments.
The unfounded assumption that she was not impaired doesn’t rely on the update. Nor do the other blatant assumptions and blame on the ebike rider.
Basic, she hit and killed a person on a bike, while intoxicated, yes jackass indeed. Would you care to spout off more garbage? How about you calm TF down dude. I knew this person. Not one of us here or anywhere give two craps about your assessment that bikes are the problem. Those are a few young kids that like to rip around on their bikes after school and for the most part are home by 7pm. This was a solo rider at 9pm.
“that’s for the PD, remember them” funny guy. yeah i remember them, in fact i have several personal friends that work there.
I’m really sorry about the passing of your friend.
You fight about everything all the time. You demean people constantly. The cognitive dissonance is impressive.
It’s like if hypocrisy was a profession for him or something.
Is it hate to point out that bicycles and cars should not share the same road? Or common sense?
Your comments imply you wouldn’t recognize anything even remotely resembling common sense.
RUBY – it’s neither. How is this confusing you?
WTF? The law says bikes can’t ride on the sidewalk. How exactly are people supposed to ride bikes anywhere OTHER than on the road? You want to build a network of elevated bike paths or something? Wild.
thanks alex, this is the problem right there. people acting like people on bikes are the cause and root of their problems and every problem on the road. to those with this mentality, please go and re-read your drivers handbook. I would also suggest you check in with SBPD traffic division. They can set you straight. Cars yield to everything including bikes. There is zero room for discussion there. This is a safety issue, not an argument. Many people like to constantly harass the bike community. You clog up bike safety lanes with runners, strollers, pedestrians, you strip away our lanes in most parts of the city and rebrand them as mixed use paths. Both of those force bikes onto the roadway with cars. Look at the bigger picture. Alot of overly self entitled people not giving a cr*p about the ‘rules’ of our society and they just start making up their own rules. I still pose the same question, would you do that in a lane of cars or on the 101? Absolutely not. So don’t do it in bike lanes and allow bikes to ride in the lanes. Otherwise we end up with cars or even on the sidewalks to avoid the cars and strollers in the bike lanes. Bigger picture….
Another person driving without a license…It amazes me how often this happens in our town. Such a nightmare result for the biker and loved ones. Zero sympathy for someone who knows they shouldn’t be driving in the first place, being intoxicated on top of that and then killing someone.
It’s not amazing, sadly. It’s become quite common with the increase of people overrunning that little town….Who needs a license or insurance even? Just go lease a brand new escalade or audi!
It will be interesting to see what facts come out following all this speculation. The article stated the bicyclist rode into the path of the automobile. I’ve been nearly hit many times by distracted drivers who don’t acknowledge me in the bike lane. Time for Calif to get serious about DUI & distracted driving.
Part I, the most important thing I believe to be true; Christina @ 36 has the rest of her life to relive that her actions and/or lack-there-of caused another human being/person (“electric bicycle rider”) to expire, as she was witness to the unsuccessful life-saving attempts being made. RIP of the person that is no longer with us. Sad doesn’t seem to be sufficient statement.
This one hit pretty personal (only as seen by me?) as on Saturday (5-17-25) afternoon I happen to have been traveling southbound on State @ this exact location (1919 State) to observe an ebike that looked exactly like the one depicted above (but a better shot of it from Peter/Noozhawk) swerving the complete side to side of State… I’ve been attempting to find more pics but since I don’t have a Facebook sub I can’t view JP post which seemed to have a few? It’s scary enough out there never knowing what “state of mind” the drive possibly approaching is in let alone…
🙁
Joel – RIP
Yes she was intoxicated, but she did stop. Was there accident caused by her intoxication? Possibly not. I hate drunk drivers, but who’s to say the biker wasn’t jamming with the earbuds in and not taking care of business? We don’t know. Does the driver bear some responsibility? Yup.
The court case will be interesting and not a slam dunj.
Sad how many people seem to be making excuses for the drunk driver here and on other social media. A lot of “oh, it’s sad, but you know how ebike riders are always swerving in the road” or some other “but.” A lot of assuming facts too – earbuds, no light, etc.
When a car hits something in front of it, the drive is almost always 100% at fault. There may be some comparative negligence, but not going into that now with such little facts.
Who do you think told the cops the ebike rider swerved in front of them on a straight away, not an intersection? Yeah.
Sorry folks, but DUI is DUI. A sober person probably could have avoided a bike rider that was IN FRONT OF THEM.
Regardless of fault, the cyclist will inevitably lose.