A pedestrian sustained critical injuries after being struck by a semi-truck on the side of Highway 101 near Gaviota.
At 2:15 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters and AMR ground ambulance responded to the southbound lanes, south of Arroyo Quemada Lane.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports a 36-year-old woman from Woodland Hills, who has yet to be identified, was standing on the right shoulder next to a vehicle that was registered to her. For reasons unknown she entered the southbound traffic lanes causing multiple vehicles to take evasive action to avoid colliding with her.
A 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by Rosa Rivas was traveling southbound within the number two lane, approaching the woman who was then standing on the white line that separates the right shoulder from the number two lane. As the tractor-trailer proceeded closer, the woman entered the number two lane directly into the path of travel of the tractor-trailer. The right front of the tractor-trailer collided with the woman within the number two lane.
The woman was treated on scene and transported by ground ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with critical injuries.
CHP is investigating the incident. There are significant traffic delays in the area.