Father dies in tragic accident while teaching teen daughter to drive
By Rachel Wolf
Published May 28, 2025
A 64-year-old California man was killed while teaching his teen daughter to drive, the Laguna Beach Police Department (LBPD) confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. LBPD also told Fox News Digital that the 15-year-old had a learner's permit.
The fatal crash took place late Monday afternoon on the Golden State's Coast Highway. James Politoski was the only passenger in the vehicle, according to Fox 11, a Fox News affiliate.
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The teen girl, whose name is being withheld because she is a minor, "sustained significant injuries," according to LBPD. She is expected to survive.
The vehicle reportedly broke through a fence barrier before rolling down an embankment and flipping upside down onto the highway, according to Fox 11.
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"This is a heartbreaking situation that not only impacts the immediate families involved but also deeply affects our entire community," LBPD's Lieutenant Jesse Schmidt told Fox News Digital. "It is always difficult when an accident leads to the loss of life—especially under circumstances where a parent was simply trying to do the right thing by teaching their child a valuable life skill."
Schmidt also expressed the department's condolences to the family and friends of Politoski.
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The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
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