16-year-old student killed after car plunges down Malibu canyon hillside

Authorities confirmed that the person killed in a rollover crash along Malibu Canyon Road on Wednesday was a 16-year-old student at Sierra Canyon School. In a message sent to families and staff, school leaders said their “deepest sympathies are with the family as they navigate an unimaginable loss,” describing the student as a valued member of the campus community. The teen’s name has not been publicly released. The deadly crash happened Wednesday morning in Malibu, near Pepperdine University, authorities said. Los Angeles County firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle that had plunged down an embankment near Potter Drive. Crews descended the hillside and found one person inside the vehicle, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The California Highway Patrol said dispatchers received the call shortly before 7:40 a.m. for a Tesla that had fallen roughly 30 feet down a cliff with someone possibly trapped inside. Tow trucks, sheriff’s deputies and the county medical examiner were also requested. Investigators have not yet said what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway. In his letter to the school community, Sierra Canyon Head of School Jim Skrumbis said counselors and campus leaders would be available to support students in the days ahead, Sports Illustrated reports. “The loss of a young life can be especially challenging for adolescents,” he wrote. “In moments like this, our strength as a community is found in our empathy, our presence, and the ways we come together to care for one another.” Because of the death, Sierra Canyon canceled all athletic events Wednesday, including the Mission League boys basketball championship game against Notre Dame High School. The contest was set to decide the Mission League title and will not be rescheduled because of postseason deadlines from the CIF Southern Section. Notre Dame athletic director Alec Moss said the Sherman Oaks school stood with Sierra Canyon, adding, “In moments like this, competition is secondary, and our focus is on care, compassion, and support for all those affected.” The crash investigation remains ongoing.