Pedestrian killed in Friday accident

ERIC LINDBERG
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

Police identified Robert Ernest Anderson, 59, as the driver of the vehicle that hit and killed Anne Napier, a 23-year-old Santa Barbara resident, near Santa Barbara City College Friday night.
Officers arrested Anderson on suspicion of driving under the influence, Sgt. Mike McGrew said.

Napier had been walking along the 300 block of Cliff Drive with a 23-year-old man when the incident occurred.
"She ended up in the roadway," Sgt. McGrew said. "The driver struck her and didn't see her until he heard a thump on his car."
Authorities said Napier was not breathing at the scene and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Sgt. McGrew said the man who had been accompanying her was intoxicated and "out of control."
"He was yelling and trying to interfere with the paramedics, who were rendering aid to the victim," Sgt. McGrew said.
He said tests will be conducted to determine if Napier had been under the influence of alcohol as well. Santa Barbara had nine fatal vehicle accidents last year, Sgt. McGrew said, but couldn't say how many involved pedestrians. He had little to say about the recent spate of vehicle versus pedestrian accidents.
"They happen," he said.
Ilan Ashkenazi, the 14-year-old boy hit in the crosswalk at State and Carrillo streets on September 30, remains in Cottage Hospital's Intensive Care Unit in critical condition with a severe head injury, hospital officials said yesterday. Ilan's mother, Estelle, 54, was recently released from the hospital despite suffering serious head and internal injuries in the same incident.
Last Thursday, a bicyclist was hit in the crosswalk at State Street and Calle Palo Colorado. On October 1, a 23-year-old Santa Barbara City College student was hit on her bike at Chapala and Los Olivos streets.