Pedestrian Killed While Crossing Highway 246 Near Chumash Casino

A pedestrian died after being struck by a pickup truck while attempting to cross Highway 246 near Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez early Friday morning.

According to California Highway Patrol’s report, 69-year-old Solvang man Robert Miller — who was dressed in dark clothing — was walking southbound across the eastbound lane of the 246 just west of Casino Drive on May 5 at midnight as a 71-year-old Camarillo man was driving a 2011 Ford F-250 westbound on the highway, approaching Miller from the east. Miller then “began to run southbound across the westbound lane of SR-246, directly in front of the path of the Ford,” which was traveling at around 40 mph, according to the report. The driver hit his brakes, but the right front of his truck collided with Miller before the pickup could stop.

An AMR ambulance transported Miller to Santa Ynez Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 1 a.m.

Chumash Casino provided surveillance footage of the incident to CHP, which is investigating the collision and asking anyone with information to contact Officer Reed at the Buellton CHP office at (805) 688-5551. According to CHP, alcohol was not a factor in the collision.