Santa Rosa man killed in crash on Highway 1 on North Coast of Santa Cruz County

NORTH COAST - A 58-year-old man died in a car crash on Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County Monday afternoon, according to officials.

At around 12:48 p.m., a Santa Rosa man was driving a black 2017 Honda Pilot southbound on Highway 1, just north of Scott Creek, at an unknown speed when his vehicle drove off the west roadway edge, hit a call box and continued driving through vegetation before driving off the cliff, according to a California Highway Patrol Facebook post.

Two Santa Cruz city lifeguards swam from Greyhound State Beach to the pocket beach where the vehicle landed and performed CPR, according to a Facebook post from Cal Fire CZU unit.

Cal Fire used a rescue helicopter to pull the man from the beach where the car landed to the highway above for medical treatment. The man sustained major injuries, and medical personnel pronounced him dead on the scene, despite attempts to save his life, according to the CHP's Facebook post. Officials believe the driver was the sole occupant inside the Honda.

It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, according to the post.

Cal Fire CZU, Santa Cruz County Fire, San Mateo County Fire, Cal Fire SCU, Santa Cruz City Fire, CHP Santa Cruz, California State Parks and American Medical Response all responded to the scene, according to the posted statement. The CHP asks anyone with helpful information to call dispatch at 831-796-2160.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 5:08 PM.