Woman Struck, Killed by Suspected Drunk Driver
Police Await Tests to Determine If Victim Was Also Drunk
A 23-year old woman was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by a man who was allegedly under the influence Friday night. Both the victim and the driver had just left the Oktoberfest celebration at the Brewhouse, a restaurant and brewery at 229 W. Montecito St. The collision happened not far away, at 700 Cliff Dr., where officers responded at about 10:10 p.m. to find the victim lying in the roadway.
According to police, the victim, Anne Napier, had left the Brewhouse with David Weber, 23, walked west on Montecito Street and then on Cliff Drive. The two were seen at the intersection of Montecito and Castillo Streets trying to hail a cab, according to police. Not long after, the 59-year-old male driver who had also been at the Brewhouse left and took a similar route, but in his Volvo. “Investigators believe that moments before the Volvo approached, Napier stepped off the curb and into the traffic lane,” according to a statement from Lt. Paul McCaffrey. The man driving the car stopped at the scene after hitting the woman.
Authorities are unsure why Napier stepped off the curb. She was believed to have been drinking before the collision, but her blood-alcohol level won’t be determined until the toxicological exam.
The driver had been drinking, authorities determined, and was arrested for suspicion of DUI. His vehicle was impounded as evidence.
