Five killed in crash near Mugu Rock, forcing closure of Pacific Coast Highway

Five people were killed Sunday morning in a fiery crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura County, closing the roadway for hours.

The two-vehicle crash occurred before 4:30 a.m. just north of Mugu Rock, said Ventura County Fire Capt. Brian McGrath. Firefighters arrived to find both vehicles on fire and all five passengers dead, McGrath said.

A 2020 Subaru sedan traveling north and a 2011 Toyota SUV with four occupants heading south were both hit, said Highway Patrol Sgt. Michael Untalan. It was unclear whether the vehicles collided with each other.

“At some point, we’re not quite sure how or when one of the vehicles went the wrong way,” Untalan said. “We’re trying to determine which vehicle that was. The scene was absolutely chaotic.”

Both vehicles ended up facing the wrong direction, and the Toyota caught on fire, Untalan said. All four occupants of the SUV were pronounced dead at the scene, as was the sole male driver of the Subaru.

The driver of the Toyota was an adult woman, according to officials. All of those in the crash are believed to have been adults.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and the names of those killed have not been released.

The roadway was closed in both directions until 2:40 p.m. Sunday, when both lanes reopened.