School Bus Hits, Gravely Injures Pedestrian In Rancho Penasquitos

SAN DIEGO, CA — A 69-year-old man was gravely injured Tuesday when a school bus struck him as he was walking his dogs in Rancho Penasquitos, authorities reported.

The school-district vehicle -- occupied only by the driver -- hit the pedestrian at Paseo Montalban and Via Cima Bella at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Moments later, an SDPD officer driving through the neighborhood east of Black Mountain Road and south of Carmel Mountain Road came upon the scene of the accident, pulled over and performed CPR on the unconscious victim while awaiting paramedics.

An ambulance crew arrived a short time later, assumed the lifesaving efforts and took the man to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla for treatment of life-threatening trauma, including a skull fracture, a brain bleed, lung hemorrhaging and broken ribs, according to police.

The pedestrian's dogs were unharmed, as was the 76-year-old bus driver, Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh said.

It was not immediately clear who might have been at fault in the crash, which left a stretch of Paseo Montalban closed for about three hours. However, investigating officers quickly ruled out intoxicated driving as a potential factor, the sergeant said.

— City News Service