A longtime Nobu Malibu chef was killed Saturday morning when a teenage driver crashed into his parked car while he was sleeping inside.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, had worked as a sushi chef at the renowned Japanese restaurant for 25 years, KTLA reported.
Uchimiya had parked along the curb and was taking a nap before his shift when a 16-year-old driving a Range Rover slammed into the back of his sedan at about 6:50 a.m.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the teenager appeared to be speeding at the time of the crash, according to KTLA. Investigators found no evidence that he was driving under the influence.
A longtime Nobu Malibu chef was killed when a teenage driver crashed into his parked car while he was sleeping. (Google Maps)
Authorities have not said whether the teenager will face charges. The investigation remains ongoing.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office determined that Uchimiya died from “multiple blunt force injuries,” the New York Post reported. His death was ruled accidental.
Surveillance video captured the Range Rover striking Uchimiya’s vehicle and triggering a chain-reaction crash that pushed the sedan into two cars parked ahead of it.
A witness told KTLA that the teenage driver appeared stunned and confused immediately after the collision.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, spent 25 years working as a sushi chef at the renowned Japanese restaurant. (Google Maps)
“I heard throughout the day that maybe he didn’t even have a license,” the witness said. “He’s a young kid. He looked very young and very confused and his parents didn’t even show up to find him. He was sitting there for two hours by himself.”
Residents and workers near Nobu Malibu told the outlet that the stretch of Pacific Coast Highway where the fatal crash occurred is considered dangerous, with drivers frequently seen speeding.
The Malibu City Council declared a local emergency in November 2023 over hazardous conditions on PCH. The action came weeks after a speeding driver struck and killed four Pepperdine University students on the highway.
According to KTLA, Uchimiya’s family and colleagues remembered him as a devoted husband, father of two and highly skilled chef.
The manager of Nobu Malibu said the restaurant’s “family of staffers” was doing everything possible to support Uchimiya’s loved ones through the tragedy.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the teenager appeared to be speeding when the crash occurred. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)
“Obviously, it’s been a very, very difficult day for so many people,” the manager told the outlet.
“He was a real nice guy, very talented chef,” a fellow Nobu chef told the New York Post. “It’s such a shame.”
“He was resting, getting ready for a catering gig,” the chef added. “We all get here really early.”
A Nobu hostess told the outlet that employees were still coming to terms with the loss.
“We’re not ready to talk about it now,” she said. “We all need time.”
