By Lookout Staff

November 28, 2022 -- A car went over the edge of the Palisades Park bluffs and another fatally struck a pedestrian in two separate traffic accidents during the extended holiday weekend.

The first accident took place shortly after 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning when a motorist struck a bicyclist on the 500 block of PCH, according to Lt. Rudy Flores, the Police Department spokesman.

Responding officers found a Tesla with a single occupant stopped in the #2 southbound lane and the bicyclist "lying face down on the west sidewalk of the 400 block of Pacific Coast Highway," Flores said.

The bicyclist -- who suffered severe injuries -- was pronounced dead on the scene, police said.

The driver of the Tesla remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, Flores said. It was determined he was not impaired and had a valid driver license.

SMPD’s Major Accident Report Team (MART) responded and is investigating the accident.

Both a SM Alert and Sig Alert were initiated due to the Thanksgiving Holiday traffic conditions, police said. The scene and Alerts were cleared at 7:53 a.m.

The second accident was reported Saturday shortly before 12:30 a.m. after a drunk driver drove through Palisades Park at Montana Avenue, police said.

"Upon arrival, evidence showed that a vehicle had driven west on Montana Avenue into Palisades Park crashing through the barrier and landing approximately 50 feet west into the bluffs," Flores said.

The two occupants in the vehicle were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

"The driver was subsequently cited for felony DUI," Flores said. "A crane was requested and responded to remove the vehicle from the scene."