8 Survive Car’s Plunge Off Mulholland Cliff

It was an accident site at the top of a 200-foot cliff where rescuers arrived expecting the worst -- and left shaking their heads in amazement.

Just after 2 a.m. Friday, 19-year-old Deydi Valle found himself on Mulholland Drive in a Nissan Sentra packed with seven other young people, including one in the trunk.

He was apparently trying to return home to Anaheim after attending a party. Authorities think he became lost on the road that winds along the spine of the Santa Monica Mountains.

While trying to navigate a curve near Beverly Glen Boulevard, Valle lost control of the car.

The Sentra struck a telephone pole and plunged down a ravine, rolling over several times. It came to rest 200 feet below the road in a brushy area.

Fire and police officials arrived at the accident scene concerned about possible fatalities.

More than 100 firefighters and rescue personnel responded, including some in three helicopters that beamed bright lights into the dark canyon.

But by the time they arrived, two of the people in the car had already managed to climb back up to Mulholland.

Firefighters rappelled down the cliff to the battered vehicle.

They found some of the young people outside the Sentra and two trapped inside.

But to the surprise of rescuers, none had life-threatening injuries.

“Honestly, their guardian angels were watching over them,” said Brian Humphrey, a Fire Department spokesman.

Two of the teenagers are listed in serious condition: A 16-year-old who suffered a broken back and collapsed lung, and a 14-year-old boy who sustained a fractured skull and will require surgery. The rest, ranging in age from 12 to 16, suffered minor injuries and fractures.

“They’re incredibly lucky,” said Ken Cook, another Fire Department spokesman.

Rescuers were at a loss to explain how all survived such a precipitous fall.

Some were not wearing seat belts, according to police, but some might have been.

Detectives said Friday that they were still investigating the crash. Valle tested negative for being under the influence of alcohol, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Still, officials are trying to determine how fast the car was going.

“An inexperienced driver combined with a windy road and speed could be factors,” said LAPD Officer Jason Lee.

“We’re looking at the number of people inside the car,” he said. “A Nissan Sentra is designed to have five people inside at the most. We have eight. So obviously the weight [of the car] has something to do with it,” making it harder to maneuver around the tight curves.

Lee said authorities determined that there were four people in the back seat and two in the front passenger seat, possibly limiting Valle’s ability to maneuver. The passenger in the trunk was ejected as the car tumbled down the ravine.

“That is a dangerous practice,” the officer said.

Still, Lee was amazed at the outcome. “It is a miracle that none of these kids died,” he said.

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Times staff writer Daryl Strickland contributed to this report.