Celebrity plastic surgeon apparently tweeted minutes before deadly crash

A Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who died when his Jeep Wrangler veered off Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu appears to have posted Twitter updates about his dog minutes before the crash.

Dr. Frank Ryan, 50, may also have been texting at the time of the accident, his ex-girlfriend said.

Ryan posted a picture of his border collie at the beach on Twitter at 4:10 p.m. and 20 minutes later, while driving south on PCH north of Deer Creek Road, swerved and tumbled down a rocky embankment toward the ocean, his car landing on its roof.

The accident was reported at 4:33 p.m., according to California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Reid. Ryan was declared dead at the scene. His dog, Jill, survived the accident.

Reid said investigators have not confirmed the cause of the crash but were looking into whether text messaging or Twittering may have played a role.

“We’re looking into that along with many other factors,” Reid said.

Ryan's ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles publicist Charmaine Blake, told People magazine on Tuesday that Ryan was "texting while driving and he accidentally went over the cliff."

In an interview Wednesday with The Times, she revised her statement and said she had heard the information from one of Ryan's "celebrity friends."

"That person contacted me to break the news that he died," Blake said. "She said he was Twittering or texting or something at the time of the accident."

Ryan’s celebrity clients included Gene Simmons of the rock group KISS, Motley Crue lead singer Vince Neil and Heidi Montag, star of the reality TV show "The Hills."

Last year, Ryan found himself in the spotlight after Montag revealed that Ryan had done 10 plastic surgery procedures on her in a single marathon operation. They included breast implants, a nose-job revision and liposuction.

When asked whether such extensive work was a good idea, Ryan told People magazine, "My first concern is for the safety of the patient, so I would never push the envelope. Heidi's a young, healthy girl; she was cleared medically. It was well within the realm of safety."

On her Twitter account, Montag said she was "devastated" by Ryan's death and called him "an angel" who "changed my life and the lives of everyone he met."

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[Rocco]

Learn from his mistake, folks. One stupid decision can cost you your life. And the life of others.

[Joe]

Too bad Heidi "the caulk whore" wasn't in the passenger seat.

[Jason J McCabe]

You've got to allow comments here!

[Crazy Horse]

This is news? He died like a fool.

[PGelsman]

So it was that important that he posted to Twitter that it cost him his life.
What is wrong with these people?

[Tee]

Very sad, and what a scary way to go out . . .

[Igor]

Just because you're brilliant enough to become plastic surgeon to the stars doesn't mean you can never do anything stupid.

[PGelsman]

Anybody that does this crap while driving deserves to die in a 1 car crash so he doesn't take anybody with him.

[IceAmericano]

God, what a cliche. I'm glad the dog is okay.

[phoenixandrew]

Hopefully Dr. Ryan's mistake will serve as a lesson to all cell phone users not to text and drive. Luckily it wasn't another motorist that got killed thanks to Dr. Ryan's irresponsible actions.

[El Guapo de la ciudad de Los Angeles]

I wonder if he twittered while performing surgery.

[Sarah]

Let's see -- the last tweet went out 23 minutes prior to the crash. So what logic brings us to the conclusion he was texting while driving? I knew Dr. Ryan. He didn't drink or do drugs and was extraordinarily safety-conscious. It looks as if he tweeted the photos from the TOP of the ridge, took about 15-20 minutes to get back to the PCH (about how long it should take) and THEN got into the car.

And before people start bashing his profession, know that he used his wealth to run a wonderful camp for underprivileged kids, the Bony Pony Ranch. He also donated his time and expertise to remove gang tattoos so young people could get on with life.

This was a really good human being, and I'm shocked at how irresponsible the press has been with its accusations of texting while driving -- with, as far as I can tell, absolutely no proof. Unfortunately, the damage is done, and Dr. Ryan's image will be tarnished forever.

[wayne]

Witness people using phones talking and texting while driving every day. Illegally!
They put everyone around them at risk. The doctors not so important now.

[Brad]

At least his selfish behavior didn't harm anyone else and the dog is okay. Was he texting about the fact that he was driving like an idiot? If only he had taken out a lawyer or AJ Duffy on the way down, it would have been a perfect day.

[Tony B]

It does seem as though the doctor was texting or twittering at the time of his accident. That's why it's illegal to do so, folks. It's a dangerous action that can cost lives. Actually, using the cell phone to talk is, too. If this doesn't prove it to you, then you don't belong on the road, period.

[Tommy]

Absolutely hilarious!!

Glad he didn't hurt someone else.

[Randy2009]

Apparently being hyper-connected to all your friends 24/7 so you can immediately and continually communicate every single aspect of your life to everyone you know is something worth dying for.

[BiffNotZeem]

What a misleading headline!

"Celebrity plastic surgeon apparently Twittered minutes before deadly crash"

Sure sounds more sensational than "Celebrity plastic surgeon apparently Twittered 20 minutes before deadly crash".

So, how would this lead to a crash?

Maybe his dog jumped on him while he was driving and caused him to crash. That is much more likely than being distracted by sending a tweet 20 minutes before.

I guess this give the "no texting while driving" crusaders another headline to quote.

[Cosmo Kramer]

If the police had any intelligence, they would come out right away and say "yes, it seems that texting played a significant role in the fatal accident". Have some good come out of this horrible accident.

Maybe then people will begin to realize that texting is not something that should be done while steering a moving vehicle. How many senseless deaths have been, and will be, caused by this stupid action.

And still.......people don't learn. And still, people die because of something so stupid.

[mo]

I see drivers typing and driving everyday. Get ready for more driving while texting, "dwt" car crashes. It's just as dangerous as dui drivers.

[mike c]

I believe it's "tweeted" not "Twittered"

[melissa]

honestly..... what he did to Heidi should have given reason to revoke his medical license.

but WHO CARES.. they are much worse things going on in the world than focusing on a plastic surgeon.

[Sarah]

OK now, the tweeted at 4:10. Crashed at 4:33, TWENTY-THREE MINUTES LATER. How in the world is that perceived as texting at the wheel? Apparently the Jeep was a stick-shift, which would make manipulating a cell phone virtually impossible. Shame on you LA Times. This was a fine man who gave much back through his foundation and camp for kids.

[Tee]

You post a ridiculous, sensationalizing headline to imply the man went down as he was texting - when in reality - there is NOTHING to give you any reason for to print such irresponsible nonsense!

[nhatman]

good thing he didn't poo 10 minutes before the accident or else they might be blaming that too!

the point is, who knows if he was even driving when he tweeted. he might've taken a picture of his dog on the beach and tweeted it, THEN got into his car.

this article is pointless...