Man dies after car plunges 500 feet off Highway 1 cliff onto beach

A man died when his car plunged nearly 500 feet off Highway 1 near Santa Cruz on Monday, according to authorities.

Around 12:48 p.m., the California Highway Patrol responded to a report of a crash north of Scott Creek, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The car went off the west roadway edge, hit a call box and continued south through vegetation before going over a cliff, officials said.

Two California State Parks lifeguards swam from Greyhound State Beach to the pocket beach where the car landed and administered CPR to the driver, according to Cal Fire.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was the car's sole occupant.

It's unknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, officials said.

In February, a driver died in Monterey County when their car also went off a cliff off Highway 1 and fell 500 feet.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:30 AM.