Malibu, CA – On January 18, 2024, at approximately 3:14 p.m., a high-speed pursuit initiated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) West Valley Area culminated in a dramatic crash at 4:30 p.m. in the 29800 block of Cuthbert Road, west of Busch Drive, Malibu. The driver, identified as 18-year-old Colin Andrew Brath of Malibu, was arrested and booked into Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Lost Hills Station for felony evading.
The chase began when a CHP officer attempted to stop a white 2013 BMW 335i, driven by Brath, for speeding on northbound Kanan Road near Castle View Road. When Brath failed to yield, accelerating onto US-101 northbound at speeds exceeding 115 mph and weaving onto the right shoulder, the officer activated lights and sirens, sparking a reckless pursuit, according to The Malibu Times. CHP helicopter H50 tracked the vehicle after ground units briefly lost sight, guiding officers as Brath veered onto Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and into residential streets.
CHP attempted a PIT maneuver on PCH near Morning View Drive, which failed to stop the BMW and slightly damaged a patrol cruiser, per radiomalibu.net. Brath continued fleeing, entering the Malibu Park neighborhood above Malibu High School. On Cuthbert Road, he attempted to pass a turning pickup truck, striking it, a concrete mailbox, and an unoccupied porta-potty, causing the BMW to overturn and come to rest on its side. Brath and his passenger, a minor female, were uninjured and extricated. Brath was arrested for felony evading (2800.2 VC), and the passenger was released to her family. Contact CHP West Valley at (818) 888-0980 for inquiries, referencing Officer Ramstead.
The crash startled residents in the affluent Malibu Park area, with debris scattering across Cuthbert Road. The incident closed Cuthbert Road for hours, disrupting evening traffic, per a Nextdoor alert. Neighbors expressed relief at no injuries but anger over reckless driving, with one Nextdoor user writing, “This BMW’s been terrorizing our streets with loud exhausts.” The vehicle matched descriptions of a white BMW previously reported for aggressive driving and loud exhaust in Malibu Park. The incident fueled demands for increased CHP patrols on PCH, a sentiment amplified by a $2 million Malibu City Council contract for CHP services.
