Andrea Bullo: Owner of popular Malibu eatery and teen son killed in fiery car crash involving drunk driver
WOODLAND HILLS, CALIFORNIA: After alleged drunk driver Kevin Gonzalez rear-ended a vintage Mustang, the owner of a beachside Malibu restaurant frequented by A-list celebrities and his teen son died in a fiery high-speed collision. Owner of Moonshadows Malibu, Andrea Bullo, 60, and his son Marco, 13, were both declared dead at the site of the collision on November 4, 2022, in Woodland Hills.
Gonzalez, 21, is believed to have been driving east on Mulholland Drive when he rear-ended their car, according to Lt Matthew Bielski of the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division who spoke to KTLA. As per authorities, both vehicles exploded into flames at the same time. Video from the site showed Gonzalez's Toyota Camry was on fire partially, while Bullo's Mustang was completely consumed by flames. Firefighters responded swiftly to extinguish the blaze but it was too late to save the father and son duo. Gonzalez, on the other hand, was able to escape his Toyota Camry and only suffered minor injuries.
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At the scene, Gonzalez underwent a sobriety test which was captured on camera. Gonzalez is being held on a $4 million bond after being arrested on two counts of murder. Bullo's well-known eatery is still closed at this time. “Andrea will be truly missed. A unique friend, father,-and figure to follow. He will be irreplaceable,” Moonshadows said in a statement to FOX 11.
Before moving to the United States, Bullo was born and raised in Murano, Italy. He graduated from UCLA's Hotel Restaurant Management Program and in 1989, he joined Spectrum Food Line, an organization with restaurants in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, and San Diego.
With a group of friends of Italian ancestry, Bullo launched Moonshadows Malibu in 2001, fusing traditional Venetian cuisine with American cuisine. Since then, the restaurant has won accolades like the Michelin Award, The Best of City Search, and the Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence. It is currently among the top 100 restaurants on Yelp.
to a source in an Italian publication, Bullo had planned on visiting his mother for the Thanksgiving holiday in Italy before inviting her to join him in the United States for Christmas. He would be “sorely missed,” according to friends, and was a “great dad,” Bullo’s parents told NBC Los Angeles.
“He had great integrity,” said a fellow restaurant owner and friend Michael Cardenas, adding, “He was honest to others and a family man. Just a good human being.”
As the restaurant is a popular hangout for A-list celebrities, the renowned eatery has previously made headlines. Actor Mel Gibson was detained for drunk driving in 2006 after leaving the establishment. In 2016, Kim Kardashian was spotted having lunch at the restaurant with her friend Jonathan Cheban. Britney Spears was also spotted having a romantic evening with her ex-husband Kevin Federline at Moonshadows.