One person is dead after a car went off Malibu Canyon Road early Wednesday, vaulting over the edge near Potter Road and tumbling down a grassy hillside, according to emergency crews at the scene. The crash was reported at about 7:40 a.m., and first responders located a badly damaged vehicle in the brush below the two-lane roadway. California Highway Patrol officers are investigating the single-vehicle collision, and authorities have not released any identifying information about the victim. Crews remained on site for several hours to recover the vehicle and clear the hillside.
What happened
The collision was reported around 7:40 a.m. near Potter Road, according to CBS Los Angeles. Aerial footage published by the outlet showed a severely mangled red car lodged in the hillside shrubbery below the road. The California Highway Patrol told CBS Los Angeles that officers were investigating but had not released additional details about the victim or what led up to the crash as of publication.
Rescue crews and scene details
Local reports and fire officials said responders had to navigate a steep descent to reach the wreckage. Patch reported that Los Angeles County Fire personnel found the car roughly 30 feet below the roadway and recovered a person from inside. Patch also cited broadcast coverage indicating the vehicle may have been a Tesla, though that detail has not been confirmed by authorities. CHP investigators stayed at the location while county fire crews assisted with the recovery operation.
Why the canyon can be hazardous
Malibu Canyon Road is narrow and winding, and local officials have repeatedly warned that slopes destabilized by recent fires and storms make canyon driving more dangerous, according to reporting by LAist. That history has led to frequent temporary closures and mitigation work along Malibu Canyon Road and nearby Pacific Coast Highway. Crashes in steep canyon terrain often require extended recovery and investigation efforts because responders must reach vehicles in hard-to-access areas.
