A Los Angeles Fire Department worker faced a life-threatening situation when his SUV was overtaken by a heavy flow of mud and debris, caused by a winter storm in Malibu, eventually leading to the vehicle being swept into the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The incident took place around 5 p.m. near Big Rock Road as the storm intensified, prompting the closure of parts of the highway and evacuation warnings in wildfire burn scar areas, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

The LAFD worker managed to exit his vehicle and return to safety with only minor injuries, after which he was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure, while his wrecked SUV was left to the mercy of the crashing waves, remaining in the ocean until at least 11 p.m. that Thursday, according to video footage and statements obtained by ABC7, amidst the chaos of mudslides and debris flow the region's residents and especially Malibu locals have been warned repeatedly to avoid driving at the storm's peak to steer clear from such dangers.

Video captured the dramatic moment when the LAFD member narrowly escaped from his vehicle moments before it was pushed through a barrier and fence, tumbling off a cliff and into the ocean; the man could be seen walking through the muddy waters towards his colleagues who went to his aid, as seen in the footage highlighted by KTLA. The PCH had to be closed from Chautauqua Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace due to escalating floods and impending mudslides, with locals recounting the difficult conditions of navigating the treacherous Malibu roads during the storm.

Massive amounts of rock and mud flow not only disrupted traffic and caused the perilous incident for the LAFD worker but also posed severe hurdles for cleanup as even the excavators brought to move the accumulated mud got stuck, illustrating just how saturated and challenging the conditions were, as told by Malibu resident Chris Hanson in an interview by ABC7; meanwhile, the famous Duke's Malibu restaurant also saw floodwaters seeping in, as did other buildings under threat from the overflowing deluge that continued to torment Los Angeles County throughout the daylong downpour as echoed by reports from CBS Los Angeles.