A tragic incident on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu over the weekend resulted in the death of a longtime local chef, with the vehicle involved in the crash reportedly leased to a prominent film composer. Ryo Uchimiya, 51, who worked as a sushi chef at Nobu Malibu for more than two decades, died from multiple blunt-force injuries, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 7 a.m. Saturday in the 22600 block of Pacific Coast Highway, a watch commander at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lost Hills/Malibu station confirmed. Surveillance video obtained by reports showed a dark-colored Range Rover SUV plowing into the vehicle Uchimiya was in, forcing it into another parked vehicle.
Reports indicate the driver of the Range Rover was a 16-year-old boy. He was reportedly traveling at least 50 mph when he swerved across the "fog line" — the white line separating the roadway from the shoulder — and struck the parked vehicle. Authorities stated that the teen driver did not appear to be under the influence, and he survived the crash. The specific cause for the motorist to swerve remains unclear.
Further details reported by the California Post revealed that DMV records for the Range Rover are leased to English composer Harry Gregson-Williams. Gregson-Williams is known for his extensive film credits, including scores for movies like “The Martian,” “Gladiator II,” “Shrek,” “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and the recent Ridley Scott-directed film “The Dog Stars.” The newspaper reported that the connection between the teen driver and the composer was unclear.
When speaking to the newspaper, Gregson-Williams stated, "This family is grieving just as the other family." His comment acknowledged the gravity of the situation, though the precise nature of his relationship to the driver or the vehicle's use was not detailed in reports.
Uchimiya was a fixture at Nobu Malibu, an acclaimed Japanese restaurant located close to the site of the crash. His long tenure suggests he was a familiar face to many who frequent the high-profile establishment. In the aftermath of the crash, a memorial with flowers and origami cranes was observed on Monday near the incident location, a quiet tribute to the chef whose life was cut short on one of Southern California's most iconic, and sometimes unforgiving, roadways. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of traffic on PCH, even for those simply parked along its busy stretch.
