Possibly ‘distracted’ lifeguard drives over sunbather in Half Moon Bay, officials say
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A California State Parks lifeguard who was allegedly distracted while driving an agency vehicle ran over a woman lying in the sand at Francis Beach in Half Moon Bay on Wednesday, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
The 20-year-old woman was taken to a hospital, and sheriff’s spokesperson Gretchen Spiker said she was expected to survive.
The Sheriff’s Office is conducing an investigation into the incident. Spiker said that “initial reports indicated the driver may have been distracted.”
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The incident involved a seasonal lifeguard at Francis Beach, the main hub of Half Moon Bay State Beach, according to Adeline Yee, spokesperson for California State Parks. The beach, which has a campground and picnic areas, is also known as Kelly State Beach.
Such incidents are not uncommon. In 2018, a woman was taken to a hospital after being hit by a pickup driven by an on-duty municipal worker while she was lying on the sand in Newport Beach. Two years earlier, a Los Angeles County employee drove over a man lying in the sand in Venice Beach, severely injuring the victim.
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