The case surrounding a hit-and-run crash involving Councilman Skylar Peak is set to be delivered to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office in Malibu on Thursday, according to Det. Dave Huelsen.
From there, the D.A.’s office will determine whether to press misdemeanor hit-and-run charges against Peak or close the case. Huelsen did not disclose whether he was recommending pressing charges in the case.
“I’ll let the D.A.’s office tell you that once they have the case,” he said Tuesday.
Peak has been under investigation since Christmas Day when he allegedly drove through 400 feet of road delineators on Pacific Coast Highway near Zuma Beach.
Authorities received a 911 call on Dec. 25 at 7:05 a.m. from a witness who reported “aggressive and angry driving” on Pacific Coast Highway near Zuma Beach, Huelsen.
Deputies responding to the scene at 7:30 a.m. found a white GMC Duramax truck with front-end damage and leaking fluids partially blocking the roadway near the intersection of Westward Beach Road and Zuma Bay Way, approximately two miles from Guernsey Avenue.
After running the truck’s license plates, deputies determined it was registered to Peak, Malibu/ Lost Hills Capt. Joseph Stephen said. The councilman was not at the scene when deputies arrived.
“From what the witness describes the person was doing, it was reckless driving,” Huelsen said.
Peak confirmed to sheriff ’s officials that he was driving the vehicle as it headed eastbound on PCH and drove over a 411-foot stretch of yellow paddle barriers and “qwick kurb” just east of Guernsey Avenue, Huelsen said.
In an interview with The Malibu Times last month, Peak would not comment on the specifics of the ongoing investigation but denied allegations of reckless driving and described the incident as a “total accident.” He said he intended on returning for the truck after leaving it near Westward.
“[The truck] was parked on the side of the road and it was in a safe area where people could go around it,” Peak said.
Peak has been the focus of several controversies both on and off the dais since taking office in April 2012 and becoming the youngest person to ever serve on the Malibu City Council.
In July, Point Dume Village security guards alleged Peak ran through the shopping center parking lot in a Speedo swimsuit and threatened them with a scissor blade after they confronted him for yelling and tossing chairs in the shopping center’s patio area. He was taken into police custody that evening and spent five days at a county hospital while undergoing an involuntary 72-hour psychological evaluation following the incident.
In August, the Malibu City Council voted 3-2 to appoint Joan House as mayor pro tem instead of Peak. Traditionally, the person who receives the highest number votes in the City Council election is chosen for the job. Peak received more than 1,400 votes in April while House received 1,067 votes. Mayor Lou La Monte and Councilwoman Laura Rosenthal cited concerns over the investigation surrounding the Point Dume allegations and argued that he needed more time to deal with personal matters and learn to serve on the Council.
In September, prosecutors cited insufficient evidence and opted not to press assault chargesagainst Peak for the July incident at the Village.