James Politoski was teaching his 15-year-old daughter how to drive when a tragic accident turned what should have been a routine lesson into a heartbreaking loss.
Learning to drive is no easy task, and most of us remember the nerves that came with sitting behind the wheel for the first time. For James Politoski’s daughter, however, one of her very first driving lessons ended in a heartbreaking tragedy that took her father’s life.
According to People, the 64-year-old was teaching his daughter how to drive near Coast Highway, between Wesley and Montage Resort drives in Laguna Beach, California, when the accident happened on May 26, 2025.
The Laguna Beach Police Department told KCAL the crash occurred after a pedal mix-up caused the vehicle to break through a fence barrier and plunge down an embankment, according to Little Things.
“A father was being a good parent”
In a statement, police said that “a single vehicle, operated by a young driver with a permit, traveled from the upper parking lot of Gelson’s Market, breached a fence barrier, and continued down an embankment before coming to rest on Coast Highway,” according to PEOPLE.
Politoski was pronounced dead at the scene, while his daughter was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The tragedy sent shockwaves through the local community, with Laguna Beach Police Department spokesperson Lt. Jesse Schmidt describing it as a devastating loss.
“It’s a tragedy that certainly affects the immediate family, and it expands to our community,” she said after the incident, according to the Laguna Beach Independent.
She continued: “It’s a difficult situation when you’re dealing with an accident, and somebody loses their life.
“A father was being a good parent, trying to teach his daughter how to drive, which resulted in a tragedy like this. Our condolences go out to the family and the friends of these loved ones.”
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