Three people were killed Monday night after a car crashed off Highway 9 and down a steep embankment near Saratoga in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP’s San Jose office said officers responded at about 9:36 p.m. to a report of a crash on State Route 9, west of Redwood Gulch Road. When officers arrived, they determined the crash involved fatal injuries.
Preliminary information indicates a 2024 BMW M3 was traveling eastbound on Highway 9 when the driver, a 21-year-old man from Yuba City, lost control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway and went down a steep embankment.
The driver and two passengers were killed in the crash. CHP identified the passengers as a 27-year-old man from Salem, Oregon, and a 17-year-old boy from San Jose.
Highway 9 was closed in both directions for about three hours while investigators examined the scene and crews recovered the vehicle.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. CHP said all information is preliminary and subject to change.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information is asked to contact the CHP San Jose Area Office at 408-961-0900.