CAJON PASS — A 90-year-old woman is dead after being struck by several vehicles on Highway 138 just west of Interstate 15 on Thursday, California Highway Patrol officials said.
Reports of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Highway 138 near Dyer Fulp Road were first received at 6:08 a.m.
A woman was seen standing on the double-yellow line of roadway facing west before taking a step north.
A white stake-bed truck was heading west on Highway 138 as the woman stood on the roadway. The driver saw her "at the last minute," CHP Officer Gerren Pearch said, and swerved left to avoid her.
"The driver swerved into the eastbound lanes due to K-rails located on the right shoulder of the highway," Pearch said, "but he was unable to avoid the woman and she was struck."
The collision sent the woman flying over the top of the truck. She landed on the roadway and was struck by seven to eight more vehicles, including a tractor-trailer.
"It was still dark out at that time and so the other vehicles simply did not see her until it was too late," Pearch said.
It is unknown why the woman was standing on the roadway. The woman lived nearby and it is believed she was possibly suffering from an unknown medical condition, Pearch said.
The woman's identity is being withheld pending positive confirmation and notification of next-of-kin.
Responding units first arrived at 6:31 a.m., and Highway 138 was closed just before 7 a.m as authorities investigated the scene. All westbound traffic was diverted to Lone Pine Canyon Road, according to CHP logs and Caltrans.
The eastbound lanes of Highway 138 were opened just before 10 a.m. and the westbound lanes were opened just after 11 a.m., authorities said.
No other injuries were reported. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the crash, officials said.