Driver Rescued After Vehicle Plunges Off Cliff, Sparks Fire in Santa Monica Mountains

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS, Calif., Dec. 26 (KNN) — A dramatic rescue unfolded overnight when a driver’s vehicle plunged off a cliff in the 1300 block of Stunt Road in the Santa Monica Mountains, sparking a fire that spread to nearby brush.

Emergency crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), California Highway Patrol West Valley, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Lost Hills responded to the scene shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday. Firefighters arrived to find a vehicle engulfed in flames approximately 200 feet down the cliffside, with the fire spreading to a quarter-acre of dense brush.

Rescue efforts were hampered by steep terrain and thick vegetation. Firefighters were initially unable to locate the driver but heard him calling for help. LASD utilized a drone equipped with a thermal camera to pinpoint the man’s location.

Malibu Search and Rescue teams ultimately managed to extract the driver, pulling him to safety. According to CHP officials at the scene, the man, who claimed to be driving a brand-new car, possibly a Porsche, appeared to be intoxicated, with officers noting the smell of alcohol.

The man was transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

Jason Stilwell, Video Journalist / KNN