In the early morning hours of Thursday, August 13, a vehicle careened off a cliff along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. Landing in the ocean, the accident killed the college-aged female passenger, while the male driver was able to escape and survived. “On the morning of August 13th, 2026, around 12:50 a.m., a call was received at Santa Cruz Regional 911 for a report that a vehicle had driven off a cliff on West Cliff Drive near Steamers Lane,” reads a statement from the Santa Cruz Fire Department. “All five units from Santa Cruz Fire (four engines and a ladder truck, plus a Battalion Chief), three units from Central Fire District, a Battalion Chief from Scotts Valley Fire, and the Santa Cruz Police Department responded to the call.” While the drive was able to free themself from the scene, rescue swimmers had to retrieve the passenger, who remained trapped in the submerged vehicle.…