Long time Sacramento Bee cartoonist identified as person who died at Fremont Peak

SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE Oct. 27, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.- The man who died after backing his car off a cliff in Fremont Peak has been identified by his wife.  

Dennis Renault was a long-time cartoonist for the Sacramento Bee. He was 86, said his wife of 65 years and high school sweetheart, Marty Renault.

He grew up in Monterey Bay and graduated from Salinas Union High School before going to school at UCLA. Dennis was a political cartoonist whose work could be found in the Sacramento, Fresno and Modesto Bee from 1971 to 1998, according to the Sacramento Bee.  

The San Benito County Sheriff's Office said a vehicle rolled off a cliff at Fremont Peak. This was first reported at 5:46 p.m. Wednesday.

Our reporter on the scene said a woman said her husband was in the car, was pinned inside, and she is afraid he didn't make it. She said they are from Monterey and planned to camp out when her husband backed the car up too far and drove off the cliff.

A Fremont State Peak Park Ranger said the victim, who was in his 90s, had no pulse, and they were going to try and retrieve his body. The Coroner's Office said they are sending a coroner and that the car was 150 feet down the road.

CHP Hollister-Gilroy has been called to the scene, as well as the Sheriff's Office.

This is a developing story.