Missing North Hollywood woman’s body found near car crash
Authorities confirmed Wednesday that a body found over the side of Pacific Coast Highway in San Luis Obispo County was that of a North Hollywood woman who went missing along with her boyfriend on a pre-Christmas road trip to Big Sur.
Olivia Hannah Gonzalez, 20, and Brian Fernandez, 21, left Dec. 23 with their two dogs on what was to be a weekend trip, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They had been expected home on Christmas Day.
On Tuesday, the Honda Civic the couple took on their trip was found over the side of the roadway, and the woman’s body was found nearby, along with one of the animals. Positive identification was made this afternoon, said LAPD Officer Jenny Hauser, but Fernandez remains missing, along with the other dog.
Firefighters were called about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday to the crash scene south of Ragged Point in the San Simeon area, which had been spotted by a helicopter crew, said Tony Cipolla of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.
Gonzalez’s body was recovered by rescue crews on Tuesday night, Cipolla said.
She and the dog were found about 15 feet from the car, which was about 325 feet over the side of PCH, California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Seebart told the San Luis Obispo-based newspaper, The Tribune. Crews were continuing to look for Fernandez, but their efforts were being hampered by heavy rain in the rugged area.
The last word from the pair came about 11:40 a.m. Dec. 23, when Gonzalez texted her brother-in-law to say they were about two hours away from Big Sur and a woman reported seeing them that day near where the car was found.
