A 58-year-old man has died after his vehicle fell nearly 500 feet off a Highway 1 cliff near Santa Cruz on Monday, Cal Fire officials said.
The incident happened just before 1 p.m. near Greyhound Rock Beach in Santa Cruz County, Cal Fire said. The man, who was from Santa Rosa, was driving a black 2017 Honda Pilot southbound on Highway 1 north of Scott Creek, when it was determined that he, for reasons still under investigation, drove off the roadway edge, struck a call box and went over the cliff, according to Cal Fire.
The driver sustained major injuries as a result of the crash and despite life-saving efforts by two California State Parks lifeguards, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
HAPPENING NOW: A vehicle went over the steep cliff an estimated 400 to 500 feet down just south of Greyhound State Beach in Santa Cruz County, right off of Highway 1. CAL FIRE, Santa Cruz County Fire, San Mateo County Fire, CAL FIRE SCU, Santa Cruz City Fire, CHP-Santa Cruz, CA… pic.twitter.com/c52W9puQSt
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) May 18, 2026
The man is believed to have been the sole occupant of the Honda at the time of the crash, and the incident remains under investigation by the CHP. It’s currently unknown whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash, Cal Fire said…