Woman killed, man injured in crash involving MTD bus in downtown Santa Barbara

Streets were shut down in downtown Santa Barbara as police investigated a fatal crash involving a female pedestrian and a bus Wednesday afternoon.

It happened around 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of Chapala Street and W. Figueroa Street.

About 20 police officers, 20 firefighters and multiple ambulances responded.

Police confirmed that a woman was hit and killed by an MTD bus near the bus center while waiting at the bus stop. A man who was by her side was seriously injured and taken to the hospital.

Two people inside the bus were taken to the hospital with moderate to serious injuries. Other people on the bus declined medical care.

The area where the crash happened near MTD’s temporary transit center.

Witnesses told police that the bus was traveling north on Chapala Street before making a right turn onto Figueroa. For reasons that have yet to be determined, the bus continued turning, driving up onto the red sidewalk curb hitting the two people before coming to stop inside a city parking lot. Three cars and a Santa Barbara Parks and Rec van were damaged.

Police said the bus driver was interviewed by officers at the scene. There are currently no indications of a health issue being the cause of the crash. A field sobriety test is standard procedure, police said.

Police also interviewed dozens of witnesses.

All buses have recording equipment, police said.

Streets in the area were temporarily closed.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

KEYT 2019