A woman was killed after crawling under a stopped Metro bus in Santa Monica on Friday afternoon, local investigators said.
Early findings from the Santa Monica Police Department say the woman suffered fatal injuries as the bus pulled away from its stop at Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard.
The Santa Monica Police Department and Santa Monica Fire Department responded to a collision around 2 p.m. on Friday involving a pedestrian and a bus. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators believe the woman was homeless, according to Lt. Lewis Gilmore of the Santa Monica police.
At this point in the investigation, there is no sign the bus operator was impaired or distracted, police said.
According to a release from Santa Monica officials on Friday morning, security footage from a nearby business captured the woman moving underneath the Metro bus prior to the accident.
“Preliminary investigation indicates the Metro bus was stopped when the pedestrian moved underneath,” the release said. “As the bus pulled away from the stop, the pedestrian was struck and sustained fatal injuries.”
The Metro bus operator remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators following the incident, officials said. The bus was traveling westbound on the 33 Line at the time.
Main Street was closed between Ocean Park Boulevard and Hollister Avenue, disrupting traffic for several hours during the investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
