Friday afternoon turned tragic near the Santa Monica Pier when a pedestrian was fatally struck by a Metro bus, leading to a flurry of emergency response activity and the closure of one of the city’s major intersections. The incident, which occurred around 2 p.m. at Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, left the local community in shock.
According to information from the Santa Monica Police Department, both a Metro bus and a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus were initially involved in the scene. However, it was later confirmed by authorities that it was the Metro bus that was responsible for the fatal collision, as reported by ABC 7.
In the aftermath, unsettling video footage depicted the intersection with the two buses halted, surrounded by police officers who were gathered around the Santa Monica bus. The visual underscored the severity of the situation and the urgent response it necessitated.
As investigators set up a command post to piece together the sequence of events, witness accounts began to emerge. Some described seeing the victim either attempting to cross in front of the bus or somehow ending up beneath it just before the deadly encounter, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Police later established a command post as investigators worked to unravel exactly what happened.
Witnesses described seeing the victim either walking in front of the bus or somehow falling underneath it moments before the fatal impact, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported.
Police cautioned that the exact sequence of events remains unclear as investigators continue piecing together what led to the tragedy.
LA Metro released a statement Friday evening.
“A westbound Metro 33 Line Bus, pulling away from the bus stop at Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, made contact with a pedestrian, resulting in a fatality,” LA Metro’s statement began.
“Preliminary reports indicate the pedestrian was not in a crosswalk and positioned themself under the bus as it pulled away,” the statement added.
“Metro extends its deepest sympathies to the person’s family and friends and thanks the Santa Monica Police and Fire Departments for their prompt response. The Santa Monica Police Department is leading the investigation,” LA Metro concluded.
The aftermath brought traffic to a grinding halt.
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Main Street was shut down between Ocean Park Boulevard and Hollister Avenue while westbound traffic on Ocean Park Boulevard backed up approaching Main Street.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
