Authorities identify man killed after driving over Santa Cruz cliff during police chase

Authorities identify man killed after driving over Santa Cruz cliff during police chase

SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has identified a man who died Friday night after driving his vehicle over the side of West Cliff Drive during a low-speed chase with State Parks rangers.

Glenn Clifford Dunn III, 48, of Felton, allegedly failed to yield to a State Parks officer after 8:30 p.m. Friday, near the main entrance to Natural Bridges State Park. According to the California Highway Patrol, which took the lead on the investigation, Dunn’s 1996 GMC Yukon had an expired registration tag.

In the process of apparently evading the officer, Dunn allegedly backed up and nearly struck six pedestrians, according to the CHP and police radio recordings. None of the pedestrians was hurt.

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Officers reported traveling at speeds of about 5 mph while pursuing Dunn, who eventually veered off the road between Sunset and De La Costa avenues within minutes of the original call. The GMC landed on its roof on the rocks about 20 feet below West Cliff during a rising ocean tide, according to emergency responders. An officer assisting with response described observing what “looks like alcohol containers littered around” the crashed vehicle.

Dunn died at the scene, officials said. CHP investigators said the crash’s cause was not immediately known and that it was unknown if drugs and/or alcohol were factors.