Published: October 3, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Malibu, CA) – One person died in a two-vehicle collision Saturday morning along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, authorities reported.
The incident happened around 7 a.m. Saturday in the 22600 block of Pacific Coast Highway, according to a watch commander with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lost Hills/Malibu station. The watch commander said one person was pronounced dead at the scene.
The California Highway Patrol issued a Sigalert at 7:51 a.m. that shut the two left lanes of southbound PCH at Carbon Canyon Road for an undetermined period. The crash took place near the well-known Nobu Malibu restaurant.
According to 99.1 FM, an SUV traveling at least 50 mph veered over the "fog line" on PCH — the white marking separating the lane from the shoulder — and struck a parked vehicle.
Know Your Rights After a Crash
After a serious crash, California law gives injured people and families limited time to act. Evidence like vehicle data, camera footage, and witness memories fades quickly. A free, no-obligation case review can help you understand your options. Call or text (888) 800-6731, or start a free case review online. Asistencia en español disponible.
Analysis of the Malibu PCH Collision
When a fatal collision occurs on a roadway like Pacific Coast Highway, investigators generally reconstruct the movement of each vehicle, examine physical evidence at the scene, and assess speed in relation to conditions. Under California's Basic Speed Law, Vehicle Code section 22350, a driver may not travel faster than is reasonable or prudent given weather, visibility, traffic, and the condition of the road. If evidence were to show a vehicle was moving at a speed that was unsafe for the setting, that could become relevant to how responsibility is evaluated, though no such determination can be made from the limited facts now available.
Investigators also typically look at whether a vehicle left its marked lane. Vehicle Code section 21658(a) requires a vehicle to stay as nearly as practical within a single lane and to move out of it only when doing so can be done safely. Where a report describes a vehicle crossing the fog line, authorities would examine the circumstances behind that movement. Under Evidence Code section 669, a violation of a safety statute can, in a civil case, give rise to a presumption that a person failed to use due care if the violation proximately caused the kind of harm the statute was meant to prevent and the injured party fell within its protected class.
Broader principles also apply. Civil Code section 1714(a) holds that a person is responsible for harm caused by a lack of ordinary care, and Civil Code section 1431.2 directs that non-economic damages be allocated according to each party's share of fault. Where a death results, Civil Code section 3333 sets the measure of damages as the amount that compensates for all detriment proximately caused.
What Families and Survivors Can Do
Families affected by a fatal crash on PCH have several practical steps available. They can request the collision report, preserve evidence such as photographs and vehicle data, and seek prompt medical evaluation for anyone injured. California law allows a wrongful death action under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 and a survival action under section 377.30, and most personal-injury claims are subject to a two-year filing deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, with tolling rules that may apply when a minor is involved under section 352. Because these timelines and the facts of each case can be complex, speaking with an attorney early can help protect a family's options.
Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A California car accident lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.
About the Author
Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.
This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.
Sources:
1. MyNewsLA – Person Killed in Two-Vehicle Crash in Malibu
2. westsidecurrent.com – Person Killed in Two-Vehicle Crash in Malibu – Westside Current
