By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

March 8 -- A woman was killed in a Downtown Santa Monica crosswalk Wednesday morning when she was struck by a Metro bus.

The fatal accident took place at approximately 8:55 a.m. on Second Street at Colorado Avenue when an east-bound Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus made making a left northbound turn onto Second Street, according MTA officials.

"The woman was headed west in the crosswalk when she was hit and died at the scene," said Luis Inzunza, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The victim -- a white female in her 20s or 30s -- apparently struck by the front of the bus, Inzunza said.

According to City transportation officials, the crosswalk was working properly when it was inspected after the accident.

The driver of the bus was taken to a local hospital to undergo a standard test administered after such accidents to screen for drugs or alcohol, said MTA officials.

He has worked as an MTA bus driver for at least five years.