Rancho Palos Verdes Man Killed When Car Hits Horse

Rafu Staff and Wire Reports

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES — A 69-year-old man was killed Tuesday morning when the car he was driving struck a horse that had gotten loose from a nearby stable in Rolling Hills Estates, the California Highway Patrol said.

The accident occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Crenshaw Boulevard, north of Palos Verdes Drive North, the CHP said.

Ryan Yonny Koyama died at a hospital, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

According to the CHP, the Rancho Palos Verdes man was driving a 2003 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL south on Crenshaw Boulevard when it struck the horse, which had somehow gotten loose from a nearby stable and was running in traffic lanes.

Animal control officers were called, and the horse was euthanized at the scene, the CHP said.

According to The Daily Breeze, the horse was from the Seahorse Riding Club, 26411 Crenshaw Blvd., but the gates were locked and it was unclear how the animal got out.

Koyama had an optometry practice in Gardena’s Pacific Square. His late father, John, was also an optometrist and his brother, Sanford, has a practice in Fountain Valley. All three were charter members of the Asian American Optometric Society.

Ryan Koyama retired about six years ago and the Gardena practice is now run by Jerry Wake OD.