Serious Collision on State Street Classified as Fatal

On March 14, 2022, around 8:30 pm, the Santa Barbara Police Department’s Combined Communications Center received a report about a serious traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian that occurred at the intersection of Broadmoor Plaza and State Street.

Officers, Fire Department personnel, and AMR Paramedics responded to the scene. Once first responders were on scene, they determined the pedestrian suffered serious injuries, and was transported to Cottage Hospital Emergency Room for medical treatment.

Initial investigation revealed the pedestrian, identified as Justin Howze Juniel, a 40-year-old Santa Barbara resident was attempting to cross State Street from the southwest corner of the intersection to the northwest corner, when he was struck by a vehicle traveling east on State Street.

Due to the seriousness of this collision, the SBPD Critical Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to investigate further. The roadway was closed to vehicles for several hours following the collision.

On the afternoon of March 16, 2022, Santa Barbara Police Investigators were notified that Juniel had succumbed to his injuries. His death was determined to be a direct result of the collision that had occurred several days prior.

The cause of this collision is still under investigation and DUI does not appear to be a factor.