Man Arrested in Chicago for Deadly Santa Monica Hit-and-Run That Killed Two Pedestrians
SMPD Says 38-YearOld Alex Kristopher Earl Kirksey Fled California After the October Crash
The Santa Monica Police Department has arrested a man accused of fleeing the scene of a fatal hit-and-run crash in Santa Monica that left two people dead and two others seriously injured last month.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, Alex Kristopher Earl Kirksey, 38, was taken into custody in Chicago, Illinois, after an extensive interstate manhunt led by SMPD detectives in partnership with the Chicago Police Department. Authorities say Kirksey was arrested near a transit center as he appeared to be preparing to flee further.
The collision occurred on October 24, 2025, in the 1300 block of Wilshire Boulevard, when a vehicle struck four pedestrians before fleeing the scene. The impact killed two victims, Maura Cohen and Brad Lipshy, and left two others with critical injuries.
The Santa Monica Police Department’s Major Accident Response Team (MART) led the initial investigation, with detectives
from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) joining the case due to the severity of the crash and the suspect’s efforts to avoid capture.
Through a combination of digital forensics, witness interviews, and search warrants, investigators identified Kirksey as the driver of the vehicle, which had been rented through an online platform. Authorities allege he took deliberate steps to hide his identity after the crash, including leaving California within days of the incident.
Detectives also determined that the individual who originally rented the vehicle traveled to the crash scene after the collision, sought information about
the incident, and later helped Kirksey leave the state. The extent of that person’s involvement remains under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The District Attorney’s Office has charged Kirksey with multiple felonies, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony hitand-run resulting in injury, and one count
of reckless driving.
Following his arrest in Illinois, Kirksey was extradited to Los Angeles County, where he remains in custody at the Santa Monica Police Department.
Authorities are urging anyone with additional information about the case to contact Traffic Investigator Lantz Lewis at (310) 458-2201, ext. 5311, or the Watch Commander at (310) 458-8427.
Santa Monica College Graduate Killed in LAPD Crash While Returning Home From Work
north on Figueroa Street with its lights and sirens activated, according to authorities. The collision occurred around 7:15 p.m. on September 19 near Figueroa Street and Piedmont Avenue.
The Los Angeles Police Department on Monday released dashcam footage capturing the moment a patrol car fatally struck a skateboarder in Highland Park as officers responded to a felony warrant call in September.
The victim, Gerardo “Jerry” Estrada, 30, a Santa Monica College graduate who was a SMC Film Production Alum, was returning home from work when he was hit by a marked LAPD cruiser traveling
Estrada was riding his skateboard southbound in the center median when the patrol vehicle collided with him, LAPD Capt. Mike Bland said. Following the impact, Estrada was found pinned beneath a parked car. Despite officers and paramedics performing life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the officers were en route to help establish a perimeter for a suspect wanted on a felony warrant when the crash occurred. LAPD has not disclosed how fast the patrol car was traveling, but stated preliminary findings show the vehicle was not “driving excessively fast.”
The video is embedded here and is very disturbing. Caution: viewer discretion is
advised.
https://youtu.be/ lAX9mJPx6tA?si=2nqE5dBdPedDVv_e
Witnesses attending a nearby carnival at Sycamore Grove Park described hearing a loud, explosive impact and initially believed two cars had collided, which does not seem consistent with the LAPD cruiser traveling at a safe speed.
The case is being investigated by the LAPD’s Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team, which examines all crashes involving department personnel. The department said it released the dashcam footage as part of its ongoing commitment to transparency.
Estrada’s family and community members have called for a thorough investigation, questioning officer speed and safety protocols during emergency responses and have set up a GoFundMe to pay for his funeral expenses.
Ten Santa Monica High Choir Students Named to Southern California Honor Choir
Talented Vocalists From Samohi Will Perform at the University of Redlands Nov. 6–8
Ten Santa Monica High School (Samohi) choir students have earned a place in the 2025 Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) Regional Honor Choir, following a highly competitive audition process that tested their musical precision and vocal skill.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced that the selected students are Ansel Brodkin, Alex Chaiet, Anna Cervantes, Karin Cervantes, Ava Collins-Cona, Curtis DiMundo, Zoey Jaffa, Mina Lotan, Harper McCallum, and Milo Smith.
The students were chosen based on their performance in auditions, evaluating sight reading, tonal and rhythmic memory, scales,
triads, and a prepared solo piece. Each will represent Samohi at the University of Redlands from Nov. 6–8, joining more than 270 of the top high school vocalists from across Southern California for three days of rehearsals culminating in a public concert.
The SCVA Regional Honor Choir includes three ensembles: SSAA (Soprano/ Alto), TTBB (Tenor/Bass), and SATB (Mixed). This year’s guest conductors are Dr. Alyssa Cossey (SSAA), Dr. Cari Earnhart (SATB), and Dr. Buddy James (TTBB), each recognized for their expertise in choral conducting and music education.
“Being selected for the SCVA Honor Choir is a tremendous accomplishment that reflects the dedication, discipline and artistry of our students,” said Dr. Jim Wang, SMMUSD Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator. “We are proud of the exceptional work of our choir program and the commitment our students bring to their craft.”
Participation in the SCVA Honor Choir program is entirely voluntary, underscoring the students’ dedication to their craft and passion for performance. Tickets for the final concert are available at
org and typically sell out in advance.
scvachoral.
Santa Monica Clock Tower Placed in Receivership Over $25 Million Loan Default
The Historic Art Deco Landmark, Once Santa Monica’s Tallest Building, Faces Foreclosure
The historic Santa Monica Clock Tower has been placed under court-appointed receivership after its owner, an affiliate of Rockwood Capital, defaulted on a $25 million loan secured by the property, according to a court order issued in October.
The lender’s special servicer, Rialto Capital, filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking foreclosure and the appointment of a receiver after the landlord failed to repay a commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) loan that matured in May. The loan, originally totaling $26.7 million, was assumed by Rockwood when it purchased the property six years ago.
Court documents show Cushman & Wakefield’s Brian Holmes has been appointed as receiver to oversee operations of the 12-story, 50,000-square-foot office building at 225 Santa Monica Boulevard. The property—an Art Deco landmark built nearly a century ago—was once Santa Monica’s tallest building and remains a recognizable feature of the city’s skyline, offering views of the Pacific Ocean.
Rialto Capital alleged that Rockwood defaulted when the loan matured without repayment, resulting in an outstanding balance of approximately $25 million.
Rockwood consented to the receiver’s appointment in hopes of facilitating a potential sale, according to court filings.
The firm had previously expressed interest in transferring the property’s title back to the lender, according to Morningstar Credit commentary cited in the complaint.
Rockwood purchased the Clock Tower from Sorgente Group of America in 2018 for $58 million, but the building’s value has since dropped sharply amid weakening demand for office space. Morningstar data indicates the property’s estimated value fell to $27.4 million this summer—down from $49 million in 2015.
Mayor Negrete Meets with Gap Executives to Discuss Possible Downtown Return
Gap is in the midst of an international brand refresh under Dickson, who previously helped revitalize Mattel’s Barbie franchise
Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete met last week with City Manager David White and a real estate adviser for Gap Inc. to discuss the potential return of the retail brand’s stores to downtown Santa Monica, the local official detailed in a Facebook post.
Negrete, who shared details of the meeting Friday in a Facebook post, said the conversation centered on revitalizing the city’s retail core and attracting recognizable brands back to the Third Street Promenade area.
The mayor called the discussion “a full-circle moment,” noting her own background in fashion and retail. “I grew up on our Third Street Promenade, worked my first retail jobs right here,” she wrote. “I’ve seen the highs and the struggles of retail, and I know firsthand how deeply the local shopping experience defines the character of our city.”
Gap Inc.’s chief executive, Richard Dickson, recently told The Times of London that the company is focused on rediscovering “the optimism, authenticity, and American style that made it iconic in the first place.” Negrete said that same sense of renewal aligns with Santa Monica’s own downtown recovery efforts.
Santa Monica once had a Gap store at 1355 Third Street Promenade. The
company continues to operate a Gap, babyGap, GapKids and GapBody location at 1931 Wilshire Boulevard, open daily for in-store shopping and pickup.
Gap is in the midst of an international brand refresh under Dickson, who previously helped revitalize Mattel’s
For your consideration in categories including
Barbie franchise. His turnaround strategy, recently profiled by The Times, includes redesigned stores and a renewed focus on fashion credibility and inclusiveness.
Negrete said she left the meeting “inspired, proud, and hopeful” about Santa Monica’s retail future.
Occupancy has also plunged to 43 percent, reflecting broader struggles in Santa Monica’s commercial real estate market, where office vacancy rates have climbed to 25.8 percent, according to CBRE.
The documentary explores the life and work of Viennese-born, Jewish architect Rudolph M. Schindler, whose visionary designs shaped modern architecture yet whose legacy remains in the shadows. The film reveals Schindler’s distinctive approach to space, his creative struggles and artistic fidelity.
Escape to the Jungle: Claim Your Free Plant
Bring life into your home this season with an escape to the
is.
Located on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, nature’s tranquility meets the vibrancy of city life in this sanctuary of green. Urban Jungle, known for its quality selection of indoor and outdoor plants, invites both new and experienced plant parents to peruse its selection, follow the nursery on Instagram and claim a free plant.
Curated especially for both new and experienced plant parents, founders Tracey and Mark Marriott say Urban Jungle’s unique variety of indoor and outdoor plants is a green lover’s dream, bringing life to your indoor and outdoor spaces. Your personal jungle awaits!
Reset and refresh your indoor and outdoor environments with tropical plants, succulents, citrus, herbs and more. Urban Jungle's beautifully cultivated selection is sure to add a touch of vibrancy to any room.
While there are many variables in caring for certain indoor and outdoor plants, Urban Jungle’s expertise in raising plants is community-centered, offering customers valuable tips and guidance on how tropical indoor plants not only brighten your home, but filter and purify the air.
From easy-care varieties to rare finds, Urban Jungle’s welcoming and customercentric staff assist in helping you find the right plant for the right space. The boutique and its qualified team believe in the power of plants to transform spaces and elevate well-being.
“True to our love for green, our staff are diligent in making sure our customers, both new and returning, know everything they need to know before taking their new plants home. No question goes unanswered. We’re happy to extend our
Welcome to Urban Jungle
Immerse yourself in a sanctuary where nature’s tranquility meets the vibrancy of city life. Urban Jungle is more than a plant store it’s a communitycentered oasis bringing a lush slice of paradise to your urban lifestyle. Here, we passionately believe in the power of plants to transform spaces and elevate well-being.
love for plants to the community,” Tracey said. “We have an unrivaled selection from exotic rarities to familiar favorites, handpicked for health and vibrancy.”
Not shopping for yourself? The transformative power of plants can brighten up rooms and moods. Urban Jungle hosts additional items to make those green gifts whole — pottery, art, gardening shirts, gift cards and greeting cards.
Urban Jungle offers a service to customers when they choose a pot for their newest home addition — potting. With a variety of global and locally sourced pottery in various styles and designs, empty-handed customers leave the nursery with plants, pots and recommendations on where to place them.
“We have a large array of sizes and colors, in addition to hand-crafted designs by local artists,” Tracey said. “Our plants and pottery are both incredibly affordable.”
Visit Urban Jungle today at 3113 Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica. Follow the boutique on Instagram and claim your free plant!
PRESERVATION AWARDS
SM a.r.t.
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Every year, the Santa Monica Conservancy issues a list of the best Santa Monica preservation projects and the most distinguished individuals working in this field. These awards are the equivalent for the preservation community of the Academy Awards since they honor exceptional achievement of firms and individuals. Specifically, these firms and individuals have improved the quality of our City by retaining or restoring, in new and creative ways, some part of its architectural or cultural heritage.
These are the owners, designers, builders, and consultant that literally do the “heavy lifting” of deciding and restructuring which parts of a building or project to preserve and which part to demolish or to adaptively reuse. This type of work is exceptionally labor-intensive, since it involves both maintaining the historically defining features of a building or object and also simultaneously upgrading it to current seismic, energy, maintenance, resilience, safety, and accessibility standards, while sometimes even changing its use. It’s often the architectural equivalent of putting a ship in a bottle. Consequently, this kind of historical work is both an art and a science done by teams of unusually skilled and dedicated individuals.
These awards cover a diverse range of projects from the largest to the smallest. They range from adding a 4-story 58unit affordable apartment building to an existing 1957 meeting hall of Japanese residents, to restoring a beloved deco restaurant on Wilshire Blvd., to restoring a high school Viking sculpture, to a Public Library reading program package for adults covering topics like walking in LA and mental health. In addition, the awards also recognize the activities, often over a long time period of time, by individuals who have advanced the cause of Preservation in general.
And the 2025 Preservation Award Winners are:
President’s Award – Jim Harris,
Executive Director, Santa Monica Pier Corporation
Rehabilitation Residential Awards:
– 2501 2nd Street – Howard Lake Architects, Robert Chatte,l Historic Preservation Consultant.
– 518 Adelaide – Kerry and Jill Samovar, Owners.
– 4th Street Bungalows – Daniel and Berta Negari, XYZ, Owners
Rehabilitation Commercial Awards: – 1460 3rd Street Promenade Keller Building - Google Store – The Festival Companies, Owners – 1213 Wilshire Blvd - Diner Antonette – Bob Lynn, Owner
Stewardship Awards:
– 137 Hart – Levy House – Ashley Simonsen and Jamie Bora, Owners
– 1413 Michigan Avenue - The Laurel/ Nikkei Hall – KFA Architects and EAH
Housing
– Samohi Senior Bench and Viking
Statue Restoration – SMMUSD and Silverlake Conservation Community History Award
– Santa Monica Library Read, Engage, Discover Kits – Susan Lamb, Principal Librarian, Branch and Neighborhood Services
Mary Ann Hays Volunteer Service Award – Susan Healy Keene
Preservation Impact Award – Morgan Sykes Jaybush / Omgivning - House Relocation Project for Fire Recovery
SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) congratulates all these winners, and hope that you too will appreciate their success. By preserving these buildings and objects, they anchor our personal and collective histories in time and space, so we all know where we are and where we came from. We hope that you have enjoyed some of these projects in the past, and more importantly, will continue to enjoy them in the future.
These Preservation Awards will be presented to the winners on November 13, 2025 4:30 pm at the Landmarked Miles Play House (1130 Lincoln Blvd).
By Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA
S.M.a.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, former Planning Commissioner, Robert H. Taylor, AIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, former Building and Life Safety Commissioner, Samuel Tolkin, Architect, former Planning Commissioner, Michael Jolly, AIRCRE, Jack Hillbrand, AIA, Landmarks Commission Architect, Phil Brock, former SM Mayor (Ret), Matt Hoefler, architect.
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Nancy Greenstein, Chair; Dr. Sion Roy, Vice Chair; Dr. Luis Barrera Castañón; Anastasia Foster; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Tom Peters; Rob Rader; Sophia Manavi, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu
Photo by Ed Gandara