An unidentified 22-year woman was struck and seriously injured by a Calistoga Police Department vehicle Monday night, and the California Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation into what happened.
A Calistoga Police Department vehicle struck a 22-year-old pedestrian Monday night at the corner of Berry and Washington Streets in Calistoga, according to KTVU. The crash occurred at around 7 pm in a Napa Valley area near Highway 29. The victim was a woman, and her current medical condition is unclear.
The identity of the officer driving the vehicle has not been announced. It’s also not clear what kind of police vehicle was involved; KGO says it was a “police pickup truck,” while KPIX reports it as “a Calistoga police SUV.” That departent has both pickup trucks and SUVs in its fleeet.
Either way, the unidentified victim’s condition is unknown. KTVU says she suffered head trauma, while KPIX says she was “critically injured.”
The woman was crossing the street at the time of the collision, and it is not currently known whether she was using the crosswalk. But a Google Street View look at that intersection shows there are pedestrian crosswalks in all four directions.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has taken over the investigation. CHP Commander Mike McClellin told KTVU that’s to "make sure we have a fair and independent" investigation, to "determine the facts of the case." He added they would like to know what the officer was doing before the collision, and KGO notes they're investigating whether the police vehicle had its sirens/and or lights on at the time.
Pending the results of the investigation, the Calistoga PD officer might face discipline over the incident.
Related: After Two High-Profile Crashes, SF Police Commission Wants Review of Vehicle Pursuit Policy [SFist]
Image: Calistoga Police Department via Facebook
