Fatal Malibu ATV Accident Kills Beverly Hills Resident

A 34-year-old Beverly Hills woman was killed Sunday when an ATV crashed on a private driveway in Malibu, the California Highway Patrol confirmed Monday.

Micol Cohen was pronounced dead by Los Angeles County firefighters about 6 p.m. Sunday on a dirt driveway near the 3200 block of Encinal Canyon Road in Malibu, according to Leland Tang, a public information officer for the West Valley CHP Office.

Rony Cohen, 45, of Malibu was driving a 2007 Yamaha ATV on the driveway when the vehicle veered off the road, Tang said.

"The driver lost control and it appears that it struck an exposed tree root. It abruptly stopped," Tang said.

Micol Cohen, who was the passenger, was partially thrown from the ATV, killing her, according to Tang.

"Both were not wearing helmets, but they are not required to on private property," he said.

The California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation because the accident happened on private property.