Ryo Uchimiya, a sushi chef at Nobu Malibu for 25 years, was killed when a Range Rover driven by a 16-year-old boy crashed into his parked car as he slept inside before work.
The collision happened at about 6.50am on Saturday along California’s Pacific Coast Highway, outside the restaurant. The impact forced Mr Uchimiya’s vehicle into two other parked cars.
Mr Uchimiya, 51, suffered multiple blunt force injuries and was pronounced dead. His death was ruled accidental by the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
The father of two had arrived early while preparing for a catering assignment and was resting in his car before beginning his shift. A colleague said he had expected to sleep for about half an hour.
“He was resting, getting ready for a catering gig,” the fellow Nobu chef said. “We all get here really early.”
Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department believe the teenager was speeding before the crash. There was no indication that he had been under the influence, and authorities have not said whether he will face charges.
A witness said the boy appeared stunned and confused after the collision. She claimed he may not have had a driving licence and said he had been left sitting alone for about two hours.
The force of the crash left Mr Uchimiya trapped inside the wreckage. Emergency crews arrived around 11 minutes later, but several more minutes passed before responders realised someone was inside the mangled car.
“I heard them say, ‘There’s someone in here,’” a neighbour recalled. “It took about nine minutes for them to cut into the car and get him out.”
Rescuers then worked on Mr Uchimiya for several minutes, but he could not be saved.
His death left staff at Nobu Malibu mourning a colleague remembered as a kind and highly talented chef. A valet said Mr Uchimiya was a “really nice guy” who would routinely wave as he passed.
“He was a real nice guy, very talented chef,” a fellow chef said. “It’s such a shame.”
The restaurant closed on Saturday as staff grieved, while flowers and handwritten notes were left outside. Its manager said the close-knit team was supporting Mr Uchimiya’s wife and two sons.
“Obviously, it’s been a very, very difficult day for so many people,” the manager said.
People living and working near Nobu said drivers regularly travelled above the speed limit along that stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner, a former Malibu mayor who owns a surf shop across the road, said dangerous incidents were familiar.
“I’m right across the street from Nobu. I see it all the time,” Mr Wagner said. “They get out, they don’t look in their mirrors. They hit the cyclists, run into car doors.”
