CA CA - Brian Fernandez, 21, & Olivia Gonzalez (dec'd), 20, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2016

[LinasK]

Perhaps they pulled up to the viewpoint and were excited to get out, or rushing to let the dogs out to go to the bathroom, and were out of their normal routine, so they left the car in drive and it rolled? I always put it in park -> pull up the e-break, then take my key out, but sometimes if something is weird or my dog is with me I forget to put the e-break on or something.

Two things that don't work with this theory- there were tree stumps that would have stopped a car from gently rolling over. This car had to have flown over the stumps or been pushed over the edge. More importantly, if they and the dogs had gotten out, Olivia and the dogs wouldn't be dead. They were inside the vehicle and probably thrown out.

 

[GigTu]

Well, North Hollywood is out, but maybe he has family in Mexico? Maybe he has camping gear on him, although I wouldn't want to be camping in the rain. California has had lots of rain, and snow, in the last couple of weeks.

His mom did say he took camping gear. I wonder if it was in the car, or strewn about out there, or if it's missing.

 

[Gardener1850]

Well, North Hollywood is out, but maybe he has family in Mexico? Maybe he has camping gear on him, although I wouldn't want to be camping in the rain. California has had lots of rain, and snow, in the last couple of weeks.

From looking at his fb it seems his extended family is originally from El Salvador, not Mexico.

 

[katydid23]

I was pretty sure this was an accident, but now seeing the parking lot where they went off the cliff in relation to the road...something is very wrong here. Especially since he has not been found.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

My thoughts exactly. :thinking:

If it had happened form the road, it seems like it had to be an accident. But if it happened from the parking lot, lots of other ugly scenarios. She could have been asleep and he aimed the car, gave it some gas, and jumped out just in time...NOT SAYING HE DID---just sayin....it is possible.

 

[katydid23]

I'd have to imagine that if the state was setting up a public 'view site' over a 350 ft cliff, they would have some kind of safety valves to prevent cars from just rolling over the edge if left in neutral, etc. I am really curious what the accident forensics experts will have to say...

 

[LinasK]

I'd have to imagine that if the state was setting up a public 'view site' over a 350 ft cliff, they would have some kind of safety valves to prevent cars from just rolling over the edge if left in neutral, etc. I am really curious what the accident forensics experts will have to say...

I wonder who's in charge of that stretch of roadway? CalTrans? CDF? Parks and Rec?

 

[MichJustice]

With the Google views and maps of the location, the only way I can imagine an accident now is the driver nodding off while the passenger was sleeping too.

 

[FlossyMay]

I feel like he probably isn't with us anymore. I can't say how this happened, but I just can't imagine a scenario where he survived and his dogs didn't.

 

[Eileen730]

There was rain and fog the week they went missing too...although we are not sure of conditions the day of the wreck because we don't know what day they crashed. I have a feeling the weather was big factor. With a heavy fog maybe they could not see the road but saw a clearing in the trees at the overlook, thought that must be the road and drove right over the cliff? With too much speed and water on the road it could only be a split second mistaken turn the wrong way and impossible to correct even if the driver realized at the last moment. Tragic.

Not necessarily, he had a head start, long before Olivia was found. He could be anywhere. Bryce Laspisa was never found and could have walked away from his life.

As to why she went with him, I can't speak for her mental state. It's not something I would have ever done. Maybe he promised her something. Maybe it was one last chance for romance or a long drive to talk things out...:thinking:

Is it possible she was deceased before she left the home? SSomething just not right here.

 

[katydid23]

I feel like he probably isn't with us anymore. I can't say how this happened, but I just can't imagine a scenario where he survived and his dogs didn't.

What if he wasn't in the car?

 

[katydid23]

Is it possible she was deceased before she left the home? SSomething just not right here.

They were BOTH seen in Ragged Point earlier that day...

 

[flightfulbird]

So is it possible she was deceased before the car went over the cliff. . .

Yeah, with this being a troubled/tumultous relationship that Olivia was possibly planning to break off, it sheds a different light on things for sure.

The distance off of the road combined with the trees and stumps that were obstructing the path off of the cliff - it sure doesn't sound like someone fell asleep or lost attention while driving and then the car left the road and went over.

It has to have rolled off from the parking lot, and from a very specific location in the parking lot - right?

 

[FlossyMay]

What if he wasn't in the car?

I can't come up with a logical reason for something like that.

 

[katydid23]

I can't come up with a logical reason for something like that.

It is not really a logical reason---but perhaps a vengeful, angry reason...? It has been reported that she was going to break up with him. Did she possibly tell him that and he responded angrily? Then he needed a way to cover his crime?

 

[ms_x_to_the_m]

As per the family they were off and on for the 4 months, so her breaking off it this time would have to be different somehow.

I want to hear from LE what they think happened. I wonder if they found evidence of any foul play or even his blood in the car, around her body.

All MOO!

 

[FlossyMay]

It is not really a logical reason---but perhaps a vengeful, angry reason...? It has been reported that she was going to break up with him. Did she possibly tell him that and he responded angrily? Then he needed a way to cover his crime?

There is zero evidence that he was a violent person...unless I've totally missed something. It seems like it would be a lot easier to just make her disappear in the woods. That way he wouldn't have to kill his dogs. "We were hiking. I turned my back and she was gone." Murder/suicide....maybe. Accident...probably. Him killing her, his dogs and his car and running off somewhere...I just can't see it.

 

[katydid23]

As per the family they were off and on for the 4 months, so her breaking off it this time would have to be different somehow.

I want to hear from LE what they think happened. I wonder if they found evidence of any foul play or even his blood in the car, around her body.

All MOO!

I'd like to know more about why they were 'off and on.' My daughter had a bf in her teens that was kind of obsessed with her. Took her a few months to successfully break it off completely because he would not take NO for an answer. He liked her way more than she liked him. It got creepy. And stalker-ish.

So I wonder about what their relationship was really like.

ETA: after their final break up, he slashed her car tires when she was studying at a boys house that he was jealous of.

And he used to call her and say he was going to kill himself . I made her block his number and I called his mom. He stopped bothering her but he dropped out of school and went and got his GED instead. I feel like she really dodged a bullet.

 

[katydid23]

There is zero evidence that he was a violent person...unless I've totally missed something. It seems like it would be a lot easier to just make her disappear in the woods. That way he wouldn't have to kill his dogs. "We were hiking. I turned my back and she was gone." Murder/suicide....maybe. Accident...probably. Him killing her, his dogs and his car and running off somewhere...I just can't see it.

You are probably right. And I was 100% onboard with simple accident scenario. But if it happened from the parking lot---very odd. And then he is missing from the accident scene---odder still.

I'd like to know more about his mental health status etc.

 

[LinasK]

There is zero evidence that he was a violent person...unless I've totally missed something. It seems like it would be a lot easier to just make her disappear in the woods. That way he wouldn't have to kill his dogs. "We were hiking. I turned my back and she was gone." Murder/suicide....maybe. Accident...probably. Him killing her, his dogs and his car and running off somewhere...I just can't see it.

There have been a couple of cases I've seen where the husband did something like this and tampered with the car/bailed from the car before it went over/hiked back up. I think one of them happened near Lake Tahoe... He could have cut the brake lines.

 

[Gardener1850]

Another pic of the car (at link below quote, can't get it to copy):

Thursday afternoon, Fernandez's family watched as crews hoisted what was left of his Honda sedan. The back part of the car was hoisted up first, followed by the cab.

Authorities inspected both pieces with flashlights and recovered clothing from inside.
There was an emotionally intense moment, as Fernandez's mother looked inside the driver's side of her son's car and broke down, screaming.

http://www.ksbw.com/article/ragged-point-crews-recover-north-hollywood-couples-car/8571866