I must have missed the part of the article where it was revealed that the passenger "thought this was the same as going on the airlines." Or perhaps you have some other credible source for the passenger's perspective?
The article also didn't appear to reveal any details as to the root cause of the accident, other than a general statement that the pilot reported engine trouble.
While I'm not intimately familiar with the terrain over this part of California, I've flown single-engine many times over mountainous areas at night, and I did not consider those flights to carry a material risk greater than any other night flight. However, I operated those flights only at higher altitudes, and only within gliding distance of valleys and/or airports which would work to mitigate the risk. While you're free to set your own personal limits, by adopting your limits I wouldn't be able to take ANY night flight in my area of the country. The reality is that the additional risk can be mitigated or eliminated with proper planning and sound judgment.
JKG