What has been described as a “mass casualty” event occurred at Stearns Wharf along Santa Barbara’s waterfront shortly before 4 p.m. today. Multiple calls to 9-1-1 brought city police and Harbor Patrol officers to the far end of the wharf, where a male driver had driven into several people. He was driving a large white van with “The Big Easy” painted on the side.
Five were taken to the hospital by ambulance, including the driver. Two people suffered moderate injuries, and two had complaints of pain, said Lieutenant Ryan DeJohn of the Santa Barbara Police Department. No one had fallen into the water.
Lt. DeJohn said the driver had remained on scene and was currently being interviewed by investigators. The cause of the incident was still under investigation, he said, but police did not believe it was intentional.
The incident took place in front of Moby Dick. Restaurant manager Debbie Pech said, “The driver hit quite a few cars and then rear-ended a car full of people pretty hard.” The van had come to a halt at the picnic tables near the Shellfish Company, Pech said.
A press release from Santa Barbara Police stated 10 vehicles had been hit by the van driver, who was taken to Cottage for a pre-existing condition. Two pedestrians had been struck and were transported to Cottage, as were two people in pain after he hit their vehicles. The driver’s identity was not released.