Santa Maria Police investigate who is at fault for fatal vehicle collision

Posted: Sep 23, 2012 5:39 PM by Hope Hanselman, KSBY News
Updated: Sep 24, 2012 6:52 AM

Santa Maria police are investigating who is to blame after a driver hit three people last night, killing one.

They say around 8:30 Saturday night, the driver of a 1997 Toyota truck hit a group of people crossing the street in the 600 block of So. Broadway.

Two are recovering from major injuries, but one man was killed on impact.

Police say a 42-year-old man from Lompoc was driving the truck that did so much damage. But they're not saying who was at fault.

According to police, there may be enough evidence to suggest the driver simply didn't see them.

Some local businesses came to work Sunday morning to what they described as "a gruesome scene."

"One pedestrian was transported to Marian and later pronounced (dead), the second pedestrian had major injuries to his head area and he's still hospitalized, the third sustained injuries to her lower extremity," Lieutenant Rico Flores, of SMPD, said.

People working in the area say one of those pedestrians was hit and dragged about half a block.

Neither intersection on So. Broadway (between Jones and Boone streets) have safe pedestrian crosswalks, making it dangerous for anyone to cross the street.

"That's when the vehicle came Southbound and, for some reason, didn't see them or the pedestrians didn't see the vehicle. And that's what's under investigation right now," Lieutenant Flores said.

Police say they don't believe the driver was intoxicated. But they say they rarely see one car hit so many people in a single collision.

"I've been here 22 years, so maybe a couple times and that was a lady pushing a stroller with a couple kids, but yes it's not something that happens every day."

The police department will be submitting their report of
the collision to the district attorney, who will then decide what action to take.

They have not released names of any of the pedestrians or the driver.

However, they did say a fourth pedestrian was not hurt but helped out at the scene by pulling one of the victims out of the road.