A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and killed late Tuesday night on Highway 101 near Goleta, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The accident occurred at about 10:30 p.m., a few minutes after a man was seen running along the center divider south of Turnpike Road, according to California Highway Patrol dispatch reports.
The pedestrian, Daniel Martin Ramos, 34, of Santa Barbara, was hit in the northbound lanes by a 2004 Ford Focus that then crashed into the center divider, according to Mike Eliason, a Fire Department spokesman.
Ramos was declared dead at the scene, Eliason said.
The sedan’s driver, Ed Olsen Jr., 51, of Buellton, sustained minor injuries and was transported by AMR ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Olsen is a lieutenant with the Santa Barbara Police Department, according to police Sgt. Riley Harwood.
Olsen had just completed a 10-hour shift as watch commander, Harwood said, and was on his way home at the time of the accident.
He was recuperating at home Wednesday, Harwood said, adding that the Police Department extends its condolences to the victim’s family.
The left lane of the freeway was closed for about two hours while emergency personnel recovered the victim’s remains, removed the wreckage and investigated the incident.
The incident was under investigation by the CHP.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
