Malibu resident Brent Rosenberg was taken off life support on Saturday morning after he was severely injured Friday evening when he was struck by a vehicle on Pacific Coast Highway near Big Rock Drive. Rosenberg, 23, was the sixth person killed this year in a vehicle-related collision on Malibu’s portion of the state highway.
The driver of the vehicle was Steven Bauer, 56, of West Hollywood. Previous reports in various media stated the driver was the actor of the same name. But Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station officials said this was a different Bauer.
According to a Lost Hills Sheriff’s report, Rosenberg parked his vehicle at approximately 6 p.m. on the north side of Pacific Coast Highway at the 19200 block and then began crossing the road toward his home. He crossed the westbound lane and stopped at the median to wait for eastbound traffic to pass. A driver moving eastbound slowed and stopped his vehicle for Rosenberg, who then stepped into the lanes of traffic and into the path of a Toyota RAV SUV driven by Bauer. Bauer’s vehicle struck Rosenberg, causing major trauma that required a medical evacuation by a Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter. There is no indication that alcohol or speed contributed to the incident, Lost Hills officials reported. The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Traffic Unit will handle the investigation.
Rosenberg was pronounced brain dead that evening, his best friend and roommate Chris Garcia said. He was kept on life support until the next day so his parents could arrive from Baltimore. Rosenberg was an organ donor, and seven healthy organs were donated to those needing them.
“He saved seven lives by giving his own,” Garcia said. “Such a perfect demonstration of his generosity and kindness, his willingness to give of himself.”
Rosenberg had recently moved to Southern California after graduating from Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He was working for the investment consultant, Wilshire Associates. He had planned to take some courses at Pepperdine University, and eventually seek an MBA at Harvard or the University of Chicago.
“It was always his dream to live on a beach in Malibu,” Garcia said. “He had just landed his dream job, had a girlfriend [Jennifer Salemme] who he was preparing to propose to. They were picking out rings.”
Garcia added, “He was a great guy and a tremendous example of kindness and honor and diligence. He was a perfect model for a respectful man. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was just starting out and it is so tragic.”
Rosenberg is survived by his parents Ann and Frank, sister Amanda, cousin Elaine Martini and several aunts and uncles.