A San Diego woman is being sought for hit and run after fleeing the scene of a crash with an MBTA bus in Yucca Valley. According to Deputy Renteria, yesterday, June 22 at about 7:25 a.m., deputies responded to the intersection of Twentynine Palms Hwy and Hopi Trail following a report of a traffic collision involving an MBTA bus and a Chrysler van which were blocking the intersection.
Investigation revealed that Zulema Ramirez-Smith, 32 of San Diego, the driver of the Chrysler van, traveled westbound on Twentynine Palms Hwy approaching Hopi Trail. The MBTA bus was stopped at the bus drop-off/pick-up with two passengers inside the bus. According to a witness, Smith veered from the number one lane into the number two lane crashing her van into the rear driver’s side of the bus. Smith fled the scene, leaving the van, before deputies arrived.
Ramirez-Smith made no attempt to exchange information with the bus driver. The MBTA driver and passengers were treated and cleared on the scene by the County Fire Department. Zulema Ramirez-Smith was identified as the driver of the van by her California Identification Card left in the vehicle and video surveillance recovered from the MBTA bus.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Deputy A. Renteria of the Morongo Basin Station at 760-366-4175.
