Pursuit Ends In Fiery Crash on PCH In Malibu, Innocent Gardener Killed

MALIBU (CBSLA) – A pedestrian was killed and a suspect was injured after a pursuit ended in a multi-vehicle collision on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu Wednesday morning, shutting down the roadway for hours.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies were pursuing a stolen vehicle just before it crashed at around 8 a.m. in the 27000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, east of Kanan Dume Road.

Sheriff's deputies had reportedly called off the pursuit because it was too dangerous just before the vehicle crashed into a median, struck a male gardener who was taking out trash and then slammed into three parked cars. Two of the vehicles erupted in flames, which spread to some nearby brush. Los Angeles County firefighters responded and extinguished the car and brush fires.

The unidentified gardener was pronounced dead at the scene, an LACFD spokesperson told CBS2.

The 22-year-old driver of the suspect vehicle was detained and then transported to a hospital with injuries, the sheriff's department said. Three other people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. No names were released.

The PCH was shut down in both directions between Kanan Dume Road and Via Escondido, California Highway Patrol reports.

The closure lasted through 3 p.m. Kanan Dume can be used a detour, the city of Malibu said. However, people were advised to avoid the area.