A solo driver in a compact SUV slammed into a traffic signal controller at 8th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach on Monday, June 8, destroying the equipment and shutting down northbound traffic for three hours during the evening rush.
The crash sheared a 5-foot-tall metal signal control box off its foundation, scattering car parts and equipment debris across 10 yards of sidewalk and parking lot. The vehicle came to rest on a wall separating a nearby restaurant's drive-through lane from the sidewalk.
Paramedics attended to the driver, who was found sitting on the grass outside the restaurant, appearing shaken but without visible injuries, according to Manhattan Beach News, which reported from the scene. One observer described the sound of the crash as "a truck being dropped from the sky."
Manhattan Beach police blocked all northbound lanes on Sepulveda while crews investigated and cleared the scene, lifting the closure just before 8:30 p.m.
Overnight repairs, pedestrian risk
Caltrans crews arrived after dark to reinstall the signal equipment. While they worked, 8th Street was blocked on both sides of Sepulveda to prevent cross-traffic. With the light completely out, pedestrians and e-bike riders crossed Sepulveda without any traffic control or right-of-way.
That's a particular concern at this intersection. Southbound traffic on Sepulveda is nearly blind to the 8th Street crossing until the last half-block because of a hill, according to MB News.
By the morning of Tuesday, June 9, Caltrans had completed installation of new traffic control equipment and the signal was functioning normally.
A troubled stretch of road
The crash adds to a documented pattern of serious incidents on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. Three people were killed in separate crashes on the corridor between December 2024 and May 2025: pedestrian Michael Kawasaki in the 900 block of North Sepulveda in December 2024, teen Ford Savela in a hit-and-run in the 300 block of North Sepulveda in January 2025, and Braun Levi near Sepulveda and 2nd Street in May 2025.
Because Caltrans has direct jurisdiction over Sepulveda Boulevard, Manhattan Beach is limited in what safety changes it can make on its own. Manhattan Beach Mayor David Lesser said in March 2026 that the city was working with Caltrans on possible measures including high-visibility crosswalks, yield signs, speed-limit markings, and bike lanes. No timeline for those improvements has been announced.
MBPD has not released details
The Manhattan Beach Police Department had not responded to a request for additional details on the crash, including the cause and whether the driver was cited, as of MB News' report on June 9. South Bay Tide has not received a response from MBPD either.
Residents who want to report traffic safety concerns or request information about the crash can contact the Manhattan Beach Police Department's 24/7 main line at (310) 802-5140.
