Three individuals lost their lives Monday evening when a car departed the roadway on Highway 9 in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the California Highway Patrol. The incident occurred near Redwood Gulch Road, approximately five miles west of Saratoga, shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Officials stated that the driver, a 21-year-old man from Yuba City, was operating a 2024 BMW M3 eastbound when he lost control. The vehicle traveled off the road and fell roughly 300 feet down an embankment. The driver, along with two passengers—a 27-year-old man from Salem, Oregon, and a 17-year-old boy from San Jose—were all killed in the crash.
Highway 9 remained closed in both directions for about three hours while responders recovered the vehicle and processed the scene. The cause of the loss of control remains under investigation.