Investigators are waiting on mechanical and engineering test results before determining whether to pursue charges against the teenage driver accused of fatally striking celebrated Malibu chef Ryo Uchimiya in a luxury SUV linked to Hollywood composer Harry Gregson-Williams, a law enforcement source said.
Uchimiya, 51, a chef at Nobu Malibu, was sleeping in a parked car along Pacific Coast Highway shortly after 7 a.m. on Oct. 4 when a 2026 Range Rover driven by a 16-year-old veered onto the shoulder and slammed into his vehicle. He died instantly.
Authorities said the teen, whose identity has been confirmed by police but withheld publicly because he is a minor, was traveling at high speed in the Range Rover. The SUV was leased to Gregson-Williams, one of the film industry’s best-known composers.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Scott Shean told the California Post that investigators must first review pending mechanical and engineering findings before deciding whether to recommend charges to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities do not believe the boy was intoxicated when the crash occurred.
“We have to wait for a certain couple things to come back to me that I’ve been sent out as far as getting investigated,” Shean said. “Once I get that information back, then I can go forward with whether or not I’m able to press charges and file with the DA’s office.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Uchimiya was discovered dead in the backseat of his vehicle after the collision near Carbon Canyon Road.
Sources familiar with the circumstances said the chef had arrived early for work and fell asleep in his car while preparing for a catering assignment in Santa Monica.
Video from the scene appears to show the Range Rover speeding along PCH before crossing the roadway’s fog line and striking Uchimiya’s parked vehicle. The force of the impact pushed that car into a third vehicle, leaving all three damaged in the chain-reaction crash.
“This family is grieving just as the other family,” Gregson-Williams said during a brief call with the California Post. The nature of the teenager’s relationship to the composer, and how he came to be driving the SUV, has not been disclosed.
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Gregson-Williams, 64, is a prolific Hollywood film composer who has lived in Los Angeles for decades. Born in Britain, he relocated to the city in the 1990s and went on to write music for numerous major film productions.
His credits include the “Shrek” series, “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Martian,” “Man on Fire,” “Chicken Run” and “Gladiator II.”
His recent work includes the score for Jacob Elordi’s 2026 film “The Dog Stars.” He also collaborated with Ben Affleck on “Animals,” a Netflix thriller directed by and starring Affleck.
Uchimiya had spent approximately 25 years working for Nobu, the renowned Japanese restaurant known for attracting celebrities and high-profile diners.
Authorities said the chef suffered multiple blunt-force injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Friends remembered Uchimiya not only for his culinary career, but also for his warmth and active family life.
Steven Zaw, a friend of Uchimiya, said the two families were close and that their children attended the same school.
“He’s an amazing human being, great skier. Taught his kids how to ski. We went on a lot of ski trips together,” Zaw said.
Shean said the investigation into the fatal Malibu crash is continuing.
