A pedestrian was struck and killed near Topanga Canyon Boulevard on Pacific Coast Highway early Friday morning, May 25. The deceased individual was identified as 21-year-old Francisco Antonio Mundo-Hernandez of North Hills, according to Ed Winter, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
“He was pronounced [dead] at PCH, between Topanga Canyon and Coastline Drive,” Winter said. The death—caused by multiple traumatic injuries—was officially called at 5:10 a.m. on the scene by LA County Fire Department personnel.
“The call came out [at] 4:59 this morning as [a] vehicle vs. pedestrian,” California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Tao said during a call with The Malibu Times Friday afternoon.
The driver of the 2009 Toyota involved in the collision was a 62-year-old woman from Calabasas, as confirmed by a news release from the CHP. She had been driving eastbound in the No. 2 lane at 45 m.p.h. around 4:55 a.m. when “a male pedestrian on the right shoulder of SR-1 wondered [sic] into the path of the Toyota.” The collision was ruled an accident; an arrest was not made.
The report goes on to state that “drugs and/or alcohol” may have been a factor in the fatality.
According to CHP reports, both eastbound lanes were closed for hours while investigators were on the scene.
All lanes were reopened as of 9:04 a.m. the same day.