A longtime Nobu Malibu chef was killed when a teenage driver crashed into his parked car while he slept inside.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, was a sushi chef who had worked at the renowned Japanese restaurant for 25 years, KTLA reported.
Uchimiya had parked along the curb and was napping in his car before his Saturday morning shift when, at about 6:50 a.m., a 16-year-old driver slammed a Range Rover into the back of his sedan.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the teenager appeared to have been speeding when his SUV struck Uchimiya’s vehicle, according to KTLA. Investigators found no indication that he had been driving under the influence.
A longtime chef at Nobu Malibu in California was killed when a teenage driver crashed into his parked car while he slept. (Google Maps)
Authorities have not said whether the teenager will face charges, as 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 classified as accidental.
Surveillance video captured the SUV striking Uchimiya’s parked sedan and triggering a chain-reaction collision that pushed it into two vehicles ahead.
A witness told KTLA that the teenage driver appeared shocked and confused immediately after the crash.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, had worked as a sushi chef at the famous Japanese restaurant for 25 years. (Google Maps)
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“I heard throughout the day that maybe he didn’t even have a license,” she 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.”
Employees and residents near the restaurant said the section of Pacific Coast Highway where the crash occurred is considered dangerous, with drivers frequently seen speeding, according to the outlet.
The Malibu City Council declared a local emergency in November 2023 because of dangerous 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 loved ones and coworkers remembered him as a devoted husband, father of two and gifted chef.
The manager of Nobu Malibu said the restaurant’s “family of staffers” was doing everything possible to support Uchimiya’s family through the loss.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the teenager appeared to have been speeding. (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 said. “We all get here really early.”
A Nobu hostess told the outlet that employees were still trying to process Uchimiya’s death.
“We’re not ready to talk about it now,” she said. “We all need time.”