Calistoga resident Brenda Sarabio was hospitalized Monday night after being struck by a Calistoga Police patrol vehicle as she walked in a crosswalk at the intersection of Washington and Berry streets.
Authorities confirmed Wednesday that on-duty Calistoga Police Sgt. Kristine Norton was the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident.
Sarabio, 22, was treated at the scene for “major head trauma,” according to authorities at the scene Monday night. She was then transported via helicopter to Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where she remained “in critical condition” on Wednesday, according to California Highway Patrol spokesperson Marc Renspurger.
CHP is leading the investigation.
Renspurger said in a statement Wednesday that it appeared that Norton, driving a marked Ford F150 police vehicle, “made a left turn from Washington Street onto Berry Street when she struck Sarabio, who was walking in the marked crosswalk.” He added that the investigation is ongoing and that circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
In the hours following the 7 p.m. incident, CHP captain Mike McClellin spoke at the scene with Calistoga Tribune employee Christy Webb, telling her that the Calistoga officer involved was responding to assist another unit when the vehicle struck the pedestrian.
“We are still investigating at this time, in the roadway, where the Calistoga Police department’s vehicle struck the pedestrian,” McClellin said Monday night. “She sustained major head trauma; initially she was treated by Calistoga Fire and then ultimately transported by CHP’s H-30 to Santa Rosa Memorial. Currently we’re hearing that she is possibly being stabilized. That’s the only details I have at this point.”
McClellin noted that the investigation would include downloading electronic data from a device in the Calistoga Police vehicle to determine the speed of the vehicle when the collision occurred, as well as any other video and audio evidence that could help to determine what the officer was doing at the time of the accident.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, City Manager Laura Snideman spoke about the accident.
“I want to extend our prayers and deep sympathies to the pedestrian, the person’s family and to our police officer, stemming from an accident that occurred last night between the pedestrian and a police vehicle,” Snideman said. “This resulted in a serious injury and the person was transported to the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.”
She continued, “We immediately contacted CHP to conduct an investigation about the incident. That began last night and is ongoing. We are waiting for that CHP report in order to be able to release additional factual information about the collision."
