NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Santa Cruz, CA, August 21, 2026: Alli Renee Singh, a 19-year-old University of California, Santa Cruz student preparing to begin her third year of college, died after a vehicle she was traveling in plunged off a cliff along Santa Cruz’s West Cliff Drive and landed in the Pacific Ocean.
The crash occurred at about 12:50 a.m. on Aug. 13 near Steamer Lane, just east of the Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. Emergency crews responding to reports of a vehicle in the ocean found the car submerged off the rocky coastline.
One of the two people in the vehicle managed to escape and suffered minor injuries. Singh remained trapped inside.
Four rescue swimmers from the Santa Cruz Fire Department entered the ocean in the darkness and reached the submerged vehicle. They pulled Singh from the car and she was transported to a trauma center, where she died from her injuries. Police also used a drone during the search, and rescuers determined that no one else was inside the vehicle.
Singh, originally from Selma in California’s Fresno County, was a psychology major at UC Santa Cruz and was affiliated with the university’s John R. Lewis College community. She had enrolled at the university in June 2024.
Her aunt, Monica Singh, posted a statement about her niece’s tragic death in a Facebook post
“It is with a very sad and heavy heart that I deliver this news to you,” she wrote, saying her niece had died in a “tragic auto accident” on the morning of Aug. 13.
She described Alli as a thriving 19-year-old who was preparing to begin her third year at UC Santa Cruz.
“She was a very smart, beautiful and loving young lady and will be missed by all who crossed her path,” Monica Singh wrote.
Reports have differed over whether Singh or the other occupant was driving. The Pajaronian, citing Santa Cruz Police, reported that Singh was a passenger and that a male driver escaped from the vehicle. Other early media reports gave conflicting accounts of who was behind the wheel. Authorities have not publicly released further information resolving those accounts.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not publicly announced an arrest or established what caused the vehicle to leave West Cliff Drive.
UC Santa Cruz said it was heartbroken by Singh’s death and was providing support to members of the university community affected by the tragedy.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s family and friends during this difficult time,” university spokesperson Scott Hernandez-Jason said.
Singh’s family has announced that her funeral and burial will take place Monday, Aug. 31, with services reflecting multiple religious and cultural traditions.
According to Monica Singh, the day will begin with a Mass at St. Joseph’s, followed by a reception and an “Indian Mass.” After a graveside service and burial, family and friends will gather at a gurdwara in Selma for a final prayer and lunch at the Sikh temple.
“She touched so many lives, and having everyone who loved her together means more than words can express,” Monica Singh wrote in announcing the arrangements.
“Let’s come together to remember Alli, celebrate the love she gave us, and keep her beautiful memory alive in our hearts.”
Cover photo: Allie Renee Singh/Instagram.
