A fatal traffic incident claimed the life of a 29-year-old woman on Decker Canyon Road in Malibu, as reported by The Malibu Times. The crash occurred Tuesday morning, July 2, around 10:20 a.m., when the woman’s ATV collided with the rear end of a Mazda 6, subsequently causing her vehicle to plunge down a steep cliffside.
Detailed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the woman had been driving a 2013 Polaris RGR-800 Crew Side-by-Side ATV on the narrow road when the accident took place, deputies responded to the scene in the 4200 block of Decker Canyon Road shortly after the incident was reported, the sheriff’s deputies also reported that the 51-year-old driver of the Mazda and her passenger emerged unharmed and it appears neither driver displayed signs of impairment.
Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the bottom of the ravine, which lies approximately 350 feet below the road’s edge, emergency medical personnel arrived on scene but the ATV driver's injuries were unsurmountable resulting in her death, as the investigation continues authorities have delayed releasing the identity of the victim pending notification of her family.
The CBS News Los Angeles captured aerial footage of the crash site revealing the off-road vehicle's final resting place on top of another vehicle that had also tumbled over the edge, this deceivingly picturesque stretch of Malibu roadway is known for its treacherous turns and has seen multiple serious and fatal accidents over the years.
Following a temporary closure to manage the aftermath of the collision, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lost Hills Station announced via an Instagram post that Decker Road has been cleared and reopened, suggesting Encinal Canyon Road as an alternative route during the closure, they have since updated the public confirming the road’s reopening and while this marks the end of immediate disruption, the lingering question of safety on this particular stretch of road in Malibu persists.
