Ryo Uchimiya, a veteran sushi chef at Nobu Malibu, died Saturday morning after a 16-year-old driver crashed a Range Rover into his parked vehicle. The incident occurred on the Pacific Coast Highway while Uchimiya was resting before his work shift.
A Range Rover crash at 6 :50 a.m.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reports that the collision occurred around 6:50 a.m. on Saturday. A 16-year-old boy, who appeared to be speeding, drove a Range Rover into the rear of a parked sedan occupied by Ryo Uchimiya. The force of the impact was so severe that it created a chain-reaction crash, pushing Uchimiya's car into two other vehicles parked ahead of him.
According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office, Ryo Uchimiya died from multiple blunt force injuries. While the crash was violent,invsetigators stated there was no evidence that the teenage driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The medical examiner has officially ruled the death an accident.
The 25-year legacy of Ryo Uchimiya at Nobu Malibu
Ryo Uchimiya was more than just an employee; he was a cornerstone of the Nobu Malibu culinary team, having served as a sushi chef there for 25 years. As reported by the New York Post, a fellow chef described Uchimiya as a "real nice guy" and a highly talented professional. At the time of the accident, Uchimiya was reportedly napping in his car to prepare for an early morning catering assignment.
The loss has sent shockwaves through the Nobu Malibu staff. A hostess at the restaurant told the New York Post that employees are still processing the tragedy. The restaurant's manager has indicated that the Nobu Malibu family is providing support to Uchimiya's wife and two children during this period of mourning.
The November 2023 emergency declaration for Pacific Coast Highway
This tragedy is not an isolated incident of speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Local residents and employees near Nobu Malibu have long warned that this specific stretch of road is notoriously dangerous due to habitual speeding.. These concerns are shared by local government, as the Malibu City Council declared a local emergency in November 2023 to address the hazardous conditions of the highway.
The emergency declaration followed a devastating event just weeks prior, where a speeding driver struck and killed four Pepperdine University students along the same highway. The death of Ryo Uchimiya underscores a persistent failure to curb high-speed driving in a residential and commercial corridor where pedestrians and parked cars are common.
The missing license and absent parents of the 16-year-old
Several critical details regarding the teenage driver remain unverified. A witness at the scene told reporters that the boy appeared very young and confused, and specifically noted that the teenager may not have possessed a valid driver's license. This claim has not been officially confirmed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Furthermore, the witness raised questions about the driver's guardianship, stating that the boy's parents did not arrive to find him for two hours following the crash. This leaves a significant gap in the narrative regarding how a 16-year-old came to be operating a luxury Range Rover at high speeds on the PCH in the early hours of the morning.
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