Fatal incident at end of Todd Point–Bayview Drive in Fort Bragg; authorities confirming details
A tourist hiking with his son found the body of a man down below the cliffs between Hare Creek Beach and Todd Point. Josh Brown said they found the body and called authorities, who confirmed it was a fatality. Brown reported the Jeep had Oklahoma plates.
Brown made the discovery this morning (Saturday, April 12). The man may have driven past the end of Bayview Drive, then got out of his car in the dark. His vehicle did not go all the way to the bottom; it had to be removed before the body could be recovered.
We first heard reports of a possible fatality over the scanner, and later confirmed at the scene that a person had died. The circumstances of what happened remain unclear, and we do not report scanner traffic as fact. However, we were able to verify that a death did occur. Authorities have not yet released information, and it is not yet known whether the location falls under city or county jurisdiction. We will update this story as soon as officials provide details and after next of kin have been notified. Incidents at this spot have raised community concerns in the past, and some hope this tragedy may prompt a review of whether additional barriers or safety measures are needed.
This stretch of coastline is one of our favorite places to walk the dogs, and we often head down to Hare Creek Beach nearby. It’s usually peaceful. I’ve always thought someone could go off that edge in the dark — not that we know whether that’s what happened here — but the possibility has lingered. We were told the person who died is not from the area. The spot isn’t easy to find; you have to weave through the side roads around Todd Point to reach it.
The location has raised safety concerns before. It seems like guardrails should surround the area. Not long ago, someone smashed through the guardrail at the end of Ocean View Drive with incredible force. We never learned who was involved or whether they were seriously injured. Incidents like these have left many wondering whether stronger barriers or clearer warnings are needed along this part of the coast.
It’s hard to square a death with a place so many of us know as peaceful — a spot where dogs chase the wind, where Hare Creek curves into the sea, where the light hits the headlands just right. But anyone who’s walked these cliffs in the dark has felt that edge, the way a wrong turn could send a car where no road goes. We don’t yet know what happened here, only that a life ended and the person was not from this area.
These incidents keep stacking up, and the coastline keeps reminding us how unforgiving it can be.
Authorities have not yet released details, and next of kin notifications are still pending. We will update this story as soon as official information becomes available. More news as received.
