Occupants of a runaway surrey—a four-wheeled pedal-powered vehicle popular with tourists—jumped out as their vehicle sped out of control down the steep grade of Portosuelo Avenue as it approached the intersection of Las Positas.
One of the occupants sustained serious, though not life threatening, injuries, while the other three suffered extreme road rash. The intoxicated foursome rode the surrey, owned by the Doubletree Resort, from a volleyball tournament near East Beach to Modoc Road, and turned left up Portosuelo in search of a short cut to Isla Vista.
As the hill grew steep, they got out and pushed, climbing back in at the peak. Given the steepness of the downhill descent, police spokesperson Lt. Paul McCaffrey estimated they achieved speeds of 30 miles an hour. When their hand brake failed, they leapt out, rather than crash into the possible pathway of oncoming cars on Las Positas. The driver was cited for DUI on a bicycle.