21-Year-Old Driver Faces Charges After Driving Car on the Beach Late at Night
The Santa Monica Police arrested a 21-year-old man late Thursday night after allegedly running over and killing a woman while he was driving under the influence on the beach in Santa Monica.
The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on October 17, when Santa Monica Harbor Officers were flagged down near the 1400 block of the beach about a vehicle stuck in the sand. Officers found an unconscious woman, believed to be homeless, trapped beneath the vehicle, according to authorities.
Despite efforts by officers to reach and aid the victim, the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) determined she was dead at the scene. Using SMFD equipment, the vehicle was lifted, and the woman was extricated.
Police say the driver, identified as 21-year-old Yuyang Sun from Arcadia, remained at the scene. He had been driving a 2015 Infiniti SUV in circles at high speeds on the sand when he struck the victim, according to initial reports. Following a DUI investigation, Sun was arrested and preliminarily charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, and gross vehicular manslaughter.
The Santa Monica Police Department’s Major Accident Response Team (MART) is investigating the incident. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has been notified but has not yet identified the victim.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department’s Watch Commander at (310) 458-8427, available 24 hours a day.
