Investigation Continues into Fatal Crash Involving Teen Driver, Composer's SUV
Authorities await mechanical test results before deciding on charges in the death of Nobu chef Ryo Uchimiya.
Investigators are awaiting the results of mechanical tests before determining whether to file charges in the case of a 16-year-old driver who fatally struck a famed Malibu chef while operating a luxury SUV. The driver was reportedly speeding when the crash occurred.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, a chef at Nobu Malibu, was killed instantly on the morning of October 4 when a 2026 Range Rover veered off the Pacific Coast Highway and collided with his parked car. The impact sent Uchimiya's vehicle into another car, resulting in a three-vehicle collision.
The teen driver, whose identity has not been publicly released due to his age, was operating a vehicle leased to Hollywood composer Harry Gregson-Williams. Law enforcement officials stated that it is not believed the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident.
"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," Detective Scott Shean of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department told the California Post. "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."
Uchimiya had arrived early for a catering job in Santa Monica and was asleep in the backseat of his car when the crash occurred near Carbon Canyon Road. The chef had been a fixture at Nobu Malibu for approximately 25 years.
Surveillance footage captured the Range Rover traveling at a high rate of speed before crossing the fog line and striking Uchimiya's vehicle. The collision occurred around 7 a.m.
Gregson-Williams, 64, a British-born composer known for his work on major film franchises such as "Shrek" and "The Chronicles of Narnia," as well as "The Martian" and "Gladiator II," expressed his condolences. "This family is grieving just as the other family," he said in a statement.
It remains unclear what connection the teen driver has to Gregson-Williams or how the driver came to be in possession of the composer's vehicle.
Friends of Uchimiya remembered him as a dedicated chef and a devoted family man. A GoFundMe campaign established to support Uchimiya's family has raised over $55,000. The investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.