An afternoon of sunbathing turned into a terrifying ordeal at a popular Northern California beach when an on-duty lifeguard drove an official patrol vehicle over a woman resting in the sand.
The 20-year-old victim, whose identity has not been publicly released, was hospitalized following the Wednesday afternoon incident at Francis Beach, a busy stretch of coastline that is part of Half Moon Bay State Beach. California State Parks spokesperson Adeline Yee said the woman was lying on the sand when she was struck by the lifeguard vehicle.
San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene near Kelly Avenue at about 3:45 p.m., Gretchen Spiker, the sheriff’s office communications director, told SFGate. First responders, including Coastside Fire crews and State Park peace officers, treated the woman on the sand before transporting her by ambulance to a local hospital.
While the investigation remains active, authorities are focusing heavily on driver error.
“Initial reports indicated the driver may have been distracted,” the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to KRON4.
Authorities said the victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The accident at Francis Beach, which includes the state beach’s visitor center and a popular campground, comes during a particularly dangerous stretch along the California coast.
Powerful ocean swells have already claimed lives this summer, including a June 10 incident in which two college students visiting Panther Beach in Santa Cruz were swept out to sea while napping on the sand, killing both of them.
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