A father is dead after a single-vehicle crash on Coast Highway in Laguna Beach on Memorial Day.
An investigation revealed the passenger – James Politoski – was teaching his daughter to drive when the collision occurred.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Laguna Beach Police Department.
The fatal crash happened on Monday, May 26, around 4:15 p.m. on Coast Highway between Wesley and Montage Resort drives.
A preliminary investigation revealed the car, driven by a 15-year-old girl with a driver’s permit, crashed through a fence in the upper parking lot of the now-shuttered Gelson’s Market at 24 Monarch Bay Plaza, according police.
The vehicle then broke through a fence barrier, and rolled 40 feet down an embankment before flipping upside down onto the highway.
The girl sustained significant injuries and was taken to the hospital. She is expected to survive, police said.
Her father, James Politoski, 64, of Laguna Beach, was identified as the only passenger in the vehicle. He died at the scene.
What we don’t know:
The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
What’s next:
The Laguna Beach Police Department is continuing its investigation into the incident.
