Luke Ogburn, a second-year UC Santa Barbara student and IV Bagel Cafe employee, was critically injured on June 13 after falling from the bluff along Del Playa Drive in Isla Vista. He sustained extensive bodily trauma and remains in recovery.

Ogburn started attending UCSB in 2023 and is a biology major. Photo Courtesy of IV Bagel Cafe Facebook

According to a Facebook post from IV Bagel Cafe owner Doron Friedman, police contacted the cafe’s manager shortly after the incident to identify Ogburn. Medical staff transported Ogburn to an intensive care unit (ICU) to treat injuries including collapsed lungs, fractured pelvis and clavicle, facial and orbital fractures, a broken rib and deep lacerations.

This incident is the first reported bluff fall of 2025. The most recent previous incident occurred in April of 2024 and resulted in the death of one individual. 14 fatalities have occurred in the past 20 years as a result of falls from the bluff along Del Playa Drive, which ranges from 30 to 70 feet high.

Ogburn started attending UCSB in 2023 and is a biology major, according to his LinkedIn profile. Friedman described Ogburn as a “kind soul” and “beloved employee” at the cafe.

Friedman launched a GoFundMe page to support Ogburn’s medical fees and rehabilitation. The fundraiser has currently raised $6,455 of a $11,000 goal. 

Additionally, IV Bagel Cafe hosted a fundraiser on July 9 and donated 50% of all sales to Ogburn’s recovery fund, raising $1460.

“Luke, we are thinking of you,” Friedman wrote on Facebook. “We believe in your strength. And we can’t wait to welcome you back.”