On December 7, the Ventura County Search and Rescue team (VCSAR) discovered a body underneath thick foliage in treacherous terrain. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) indicated the body is likely the final missing passenger from a cliffside crash that occurred on December 1 on Deer Creek Road.
The crash was not reported to the CHP until December 2, after the reporting party claimed to have exited the vehicle and acquired a lift on a nearby road. The other two occupants in the vehicle remained unaccounted for at that time. Upon arrival at the scene, officers found a white Cadillac Escalade down the cliff. Neither the driver nor the other passenger had been heard from since the incident.
A comprehensive search effort encompassing multiple agencies was launched to locate the remaining occupants. Despite efforts, the search was discontinued four hours later due to darkness and hazardous terrain. Later that day, fire officials announced that one of the missing occupants had been found at their residence. A search of the vehicle was carried out around 9 p.m., but the other missing individual was not found, and the search was suspended until the following Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, VCSAR employed a helicopter to continue the search during daylight hours. Still, the whereabouts of the missing occupant remained uncertain. A missing person report was subsequently filed on December 6. CHP requested VCSAR to search the area again on December 7, resulting in the discovery of the dead body. The identity of the discovered body and the reasons behind the delayed crash reporting remain undisclosed. CHP is continuing its investigation.
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