One person was killed Wednesday after a car ran off the road in the Malibu Hills, authorities said.
The fatal crash happened around 5:30 p.m. on Malibu Canyon Road near Adamson Flat, less than two miles north of the Pacific Coast Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The accident brought traffic to a halt in both directions on Malibu Canyon Road, a two-lane road that passes through the Santa Monica Mountains and unites Calabasas with Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway.
The road curves along the ridge and can be treacherous, with steep drops into the valley below. The trail has been the site of several fatal accidents over the years.
Aerial footage Wednesday night from KTLA-TV showed a silvery-gray vehicle falling more than 100 feet from the cliff into the rocky canyon and canyon below. Firefighters were crossing the valley to reach the vehicle.
It is unclear what led to the accident, and it is under investigation by the CHP. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner responded to the scene; The identity of the deceased person has not been revealed.
Massive response by firefighters and police to a vehicle that drove into the canyon in Malibu on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
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In October, 25-year-old Luis Gonzalez died on Malibu Canyon Road when his car flipped and fell over an embankment about a mile north of the Pacific Coast Highway.
In 2022, two cars collided along the road, killing 18-year-old Skylar Scripter and injuring several others.
Wednesday's fatal accident comes months after four Pepperdine University students were killed when they were struck by a car while parked alongside the Pacific Coast Highway. The car's driver, 22-year-old Fraser Baum, has been charged with murder and manslaughter. The accident raised safety concerns about motorists speeding in and around the scenic coastal enclave.
