Detectives believe driver intentionally struck woman on East Mountain Drive
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has launched a homicide investigation following the death of a woman who was reportedly struck by a vehicle on East Mountain Drive in Montecito.
At approximately 5:35 a.m. on Thursday, deputies were dispatched to the street’s 800 block after a report of a woman heard screaming.
When deputies arrived, they found a woman who was seriously injured, lying in the roadway.
The vehicle that struck the woman fled the area prior to deputies’ arrival, said Raquel Zick, the public information officer for the sheriff’s office.
Ms. Zick said the woman was transported to an area hospital, where she died of her injuries at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Based on their initial investigation, detectives believe the woman was intentionally struck by the driver of the vehicle, and they are investigating this as a homicide, Ms. Zick said.
She said the identity of the victim is pending family notification and that the vehicle description is not yet available for release.
Ms. Zick said the suspect and the victim knew each other and that this was not a random attack.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
