Victim ID'd In Wednesday Single Vehicle Crash South Of Pacifica

PACIFICA, CA — A man who died after his car went off state Highway 1 and crashed Wednesday afternoon has been identified as Anthony Colonnese Jr., according to the San Mateo County Coroner's Office.

Colonnese, a 73-year-old San Francisco resident, died after his vehicle went off the road and over a cliff, landing on the beach below near the Tom Lantos Tunnels, in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County south of Pacifica.

Colonnese was traveling north on a straight portion of the highway and approaching the tunnels when he made an "unsafe turning movement to the left," CHP spokesperson Mark Andrews said. The vehicle then crossed into the southbound lane and then onto the shoulder before going off the road.

The crash was reported shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday after witnesses saw what happened.

Colonnese was ejected from the vehicle and emergency responders located him about 60 feet away from the vehicle, according to the CHP.

The southbound lane of the highway was closed following the crash and reopened five hours later at just after 7 p.m.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation as the vehicle has not yet been recovered.

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