Doug Baron, a 66-year-old Malibu resident and longtime presence in the Los Angeles classic-car world, was killed March 25 in a head-on crash in Camarillo. Baron was behind the wheel of a vintage Porsche coupe on Las Posas Road when a Ford Expedition crossed into his lane and hit him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash details and the investigation
According to the Los Angeles Times, the collision happened around 1 p.m. near Laguna Road, when a northbound Expedition veered into Baron's lane and struck his Porsche head-on. The Ventura County medical examiner told the paper that Baron died from blunt-force injuries. The other driver, who was initially taken to a hospital, later died from head trauma.
The California Highway Patrol has said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. Officials have not determined whether drugs or alcohol played any role.
Baron was a fixture in the Porsche community
Baron was well known in Porsche and racing circles. He competed in the American Le Mans Series GTC class, ran 24-hour events at Daytona and captured multiple Porsche Owners Club endurance race wins, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Fellow drivers remembered him as both quick and conscientious. Professional Porsche factory driver Patrick Long called Baron “the exact type of ambassador the Porsche community needs,” while friend Evan Sawyer said “his spirit will live on in the canyons,” the Times reported. Baron is survived by his wife, Laura, and five children.
Investigation, road closures and where fans are gathering
In the immediate aftermath, CHP Ventura shut down Las Posas Road between Laguna and Hueneme roads so investigators could document the scene and clear the wreckage, and urged drivers to find alternate routes, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
Fans of Baron and other car enthusiasts regularly gather at Supercar Sunday, the weekly car meet held in the main lot at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. The event typically runs from 7 to 10 a.m. and lists Pierce College’s address as 6201 Winnetka Ave in Woodland Hills; the listing is posted on CarShowSafari.
Anyone with information that might help investigators is asked to contact the CHP Ventura Area office; the California Highway Patrol lists its Ventura contact number as 805-662-2640 on its CHP Ventura office page.
What friends and drivers say
Friends say Baron was the kind of driver who saved his risks for the racetrack and preached caution in the canyons, especially to younger hobbyists drawn to his cars and his résumé. His death has rippled through Southern California’s racing and collector communities, where tributes and stories about his influence began appearing online soon after the crash.
Investigators say their work is ongoing. Authorities are expected to release formal collision findings and toxicology results once they are complete.
