The family of a woman killed when a driver ran over her on Santa Monica Beach has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging the city created a dangerous condition through negligence.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Sherese Allen, 34, who died Oct. 17, 2024, after being struck by a vehicle driven by Yuyang Sun on the beach. Allen's parents, Eugenia Tate and Antron Allen, are the plaintiffs in the case.
According to the complaint, Allen was resting on the sand at Santa Monica Beach when Sun drove his 2015 Infiniti SUV onto the beach at approximately 11:30 p.m. The lawsuit alleges Sun made circular motions at high speed on the sand, paying no attention to his surroundings before striking Allen and trapping her underneath the vehicle.
Despite efforts by officers and the Santa Monica Fire Department to provide aid, Allen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The lawsuit accuses the City of Santa Monica of failing to provide proper safeguards and creating a dangerous condition by not preventing drivers from accessing the beach area. The complaint alleges the city had control over the beach and failed to make it off-limits to vehicles despite previous fatalities and vehicle incidents.
"Yuyang San killed her, and the City of Santa Monica allowed it to happen," said attorney Elise Sanguinetti of Arias Sanguinetti, who represents the family. "The biggest reason for this lawsuit is to convince Santa Monica to finally make the beach safe so that this never happens again."
Sanguinetti filed a government claim in March 2025, a required step before filing the lawsuit.