Four drivers will need to check if their insurance covers collisions with hallucinating naked men after an incident on Mesa Road Sunday night.

At about 8:35 p.m., 19-year-old UCSB student Christopher Miller reportedly began running naked from his residence on Sabado Tarde Road to the UCSB campus area. Upon reaching Mesa Road, Miller ran into the side of three moving cars, bounced off each one and continued running. A fourth car then struck Miller when he jumped in front of it, but he remained conscious and sustained only minor injuries, UCPD officer Mike Foster said.

Foster said Miller was under the influence of psilocybin, or hallucinogenic mushrooms, when the incident occurred.

Sophomore communication major David Lindsay said he was driving on Mesa Road, parallel to Campbell Hall, when Miller ran into the side of his car.

“Out of nowhere this totally naked guy threw himself at my car. At first, when I saw him, I thought it was a weird streaker thing. But then, he ran straight at my car and he kinda just bounced off. He got up and started running again – then he ran into another car,” he said.

Lindsay said he slowed his vehicle down when he realized Miller was running towards him.

“I saw him running at me — he was going really quickly. I slowed way down to about 15 mph,” he said. “He made these two big dents in my car close to my front fender and on the passenger door. I couldn’t believe a human body could do that.”

The drivers of the vehicles reported the incident to the UCPD station on Mesa Road immediately after they were hit.

“We got reports [earlier] he was jumping over fences. We were looking for him in I.V. and around the campus’ West Gate. While we were looking, we received a report that the suspect had jumped in front of a car,” Foster said.

“Somebody else there got their rearview mirror knocked off,” Lindsay said. “They told me they saw a body lying in the road. At that point, I didn’t know if he was okay.”

Foster said emergency personnel responded and found Miller lying conscious in the street. He was transported to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, and was scheduled to be released yesterday.

Lindsay said the experience was shocking.

“I really didn’t think the guy was going to make contact with me,” he said. “The whole time I was thinking, did I hit someone or did someone hit me?”

Foster said Miller was not arrested, but that a report will be filed with the District Attorney’s office.

Print