A pedestrian was struck by a big-rig and critically injured on Wednesday afternoon on Highway 101 along the Gaviota Coast, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The collision occurred at about 2:15 p.m. in the southbound lanes south of Arroyo Quemada, near Refugio State Beach, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The pedestrian — a 36-year-old Woodland Hills woman whose name was not released — had pulled over to the side of the highway and exited her vehicle, said CHP Officer Shannan Sams.
“For reasons unknown at this time, the pedestrian entered the southbound traffic lanes, causing multiple vehicles to take evasive action to avoid colliding with her,” Sams said.
The 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer that struck the woman was driven by Rosa Rivas, 52, of Laredo, Texas. The big-rig was in the right-hand lane when it approached the woman, who was standing on the white line, Sams said.
“As the tractor-trailer proceeded closer, the pedestrian entered the lane directly into the path of travel of the tractor-trailer,” Sams said. “The right front of the tractor-trailer collided with the female within the lane.”
County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, along with the CHP.
The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics, then taken by AMR ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Details on her condition were not available.
Southbound traffic was completedly stopped in the area for a time after the collision, according to emergency radio traffic.
The incident remained under investigation, and anyone with information about it is asked to contact Officer T. Kelly of the Santa Barbara CHP Office at 805.967.1234 during normal business hours.
— 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.