School bus hits man out walking dogs, leaving him with major head trauma

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 vehicle, occupied only by the driver, hit the pedestrian at Paseo Montalban and Via Cima Bella at about 8:30 a.m., according to the San Diego police.

Moments later, an officer driving through the neighborhood came upon the scene of the accident, pulled over and performed CPR on the unconscious victim.

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, according to police.

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 DUI as a potential factor, the sergeant said.

Updated 4:40 p.m. March 10, 2026