A 20-year-old woman lying in the sand at Francis Beach in Half Moon Bay was struck by a California State Parks lifeguard vehicle Wednesday afternoon — run over by the agency assigned to keep her safe.

The incident, which occurred around 3:45 p.m. at the beach also commonly called Kelly Beach — part of Half Moon Bay State Beach — is under investigation by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Initial reports indicated the driver, identified as a seasonal lifeguard, may have been distracted at the wheel. The victim was hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

The incident happened around 3:45 p.m. at the beach — also known as Kelly Beach — which sits within the Half Moon Bay State Beach complex and falls under California State Parks jurisdiction, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Gretchen Spiker told the Bay Area News Group. The woman, who was lying in the sand when she was run over, was treated at the scene and then transported to a local hospital. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Spiker said.

California State Parks spokesperson Adeline Yee confirmed to the Mercury News that the driver was a seasonal lifeguard. Yee said the Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation into the incident.

The Sheriff's Office was called in to investigate and that inquiry remains ongoing, according to Spiker.

The beach where the incident occurred is a popular summer destination south of the Half Moon Bay harbor, drawing sunbathers and campers throughout the summer season. California State Parks stations lifeguards at Francis Beach during peak months, with seasonal hires supplementing year-round staff.

The incident comes as California State Parks' lifeguard operations have faced scrutiny: earlier this week, reporting emerged about a State Parks supervisor who secretly recorded subordinate lifeguards — an unrelated matter, but one that has drawn attention to the agency's oversight of its beach safety personnel.

Neither Spiker nor Yee provided the victim's name or further detail about the nature of the distraction. Whether the driver faces disciplinary action or criminal referral was not addressed in initial statements.

This story is developing.