Make California Post a Preferred Source A luxury Range Rover that slammed into a parked car and killed a Nobu Malibu chef belonged to a legendary Hollywood composer, the California Post has learned.
Ryo Uchimiya, 51, died around 6:50 a.m. Saturday when the SUV struck his vehicle along Pacific Coast Highway near the popular celebrity restaurant.
Authorities said the teenage driver, who has not been named, appeared to be speeding before the SUV crossed the road’s fog line and plowed into Uchimiya’s car.
The suspect vehicle is a 2026 Land Rover that was leased by one of the world’s most celebrated composers, Harry Gregson-Williams, according to DMV records.
In a brief call with The Post, the Englishman said: “This family is grieving just as the other family.” It remains unclear what connection the 16-year-old driver has to him or why he was behind the wheel.
The teenager has been identified by authorities but has not been publicly named because of his age. The investigation into the fatal collision remains ongoing.
Gregson-Williams, 64, is one of Hollywood’s most prolific film composers and has lived in Los Angeles for decades.
The British-born composer moved to LA in the 1990s and built a career scoring some of the world’s biggest blockbusters.
His credits include the Shrek franchise, The Chronicles of Narnia, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Martian, Man on Fire, Chicken Run and Gladiator II.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic describes him as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after and prolific composers.
He is also behind the music for The Dog Stars, the 2026 film starring Jacob Elordi, and recently reunited with Ben Affleck to score Animals, the new Netflix thriller directed by and starring Affleck.
Gregson-Williams was photographed at the Los Angeles premiere of Animals on Thursday alongside his family, with Affleck, Washington, Damon and other stars also attending — two days before the crash.
Uchimiya had worked at the famed Japanese restaurant for roughly 25 years and was believed to have been sleeping before another shift.
The chef was in the back seat when the Range Rover struck his car, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving multiple parked vehicles.
Authorities said Uchimiya died at the scene from multiple blunt-force injuries. Friends remembered Uchimiya as much more than a celebrated sushi chef.
Steven Zaw, a friend of Uchimiya’s, told The Post their families were close and their children attended the same school.
“He’s an amazing human being, great skier. Taught his kids how to ski. We went on a lot of ski trips together,” Zaw said.
“Amazing chef. He wanted to open a restaurant in Long Beach. On the ski trips he made great meals. Cooks way better than me.” He added: “He loved climbing. We loved him.”
The fatal crash has once again focused attention on the notoriously dangerous stretch of PCH through Malibu.
A 21-mile section of the highway has averaged roughly four crash-related deaths a year over the past decade.
