Victims of deadly Santa Monica hit-and-run crash identified as search for suspect continues
The two victims of a deadly hit-and-run crash in Santa Monica over the weekend were identified on Monday as police continue searching for the suspect.
Maura Cohen and Brad Lipshy, both 61, were struck and killed on Friday night when the driver of an orange Dodge Charger drove onto the sidewalk near Wilshire Boulevard and Euclid Avenue, Santa Monica police said.
Cellphone video shows the moments after the crash, as the unidentified suspect fled from the area, running down Wilshire before turning on Euclid. More footage from the scene, captured from a security camera video at Harvest of Santa Monica, shows the car driving against traffic.
Friends of the victims gathered on Monday to drop off flowers and candles for the victims. They say that Lipshy, the founder and CEO of a local company called Event Solutions, was a fixture at the YMCA in Santa Monica who loved to swim and exercise. He was a University of Texas graduate who played college football.
"He lives, eats and breathes football," said Rob Kaplan, a friend of Lipshy's. "He acts like a football player, he lives like a football player, but underneath that big physique, his family."
Friends say he leaves behind four children, and his ex-wife told CBS News Los Angeles that his family founded the Zales Jewelry company.
Police believe he and Cohen had just left the sushi restaurant in the area when they were hit and killed by the car, which is registered with the DMV as a leasing company based in San Diego.
"The vehicle was not reported stolen. It is registered to a corporate entity," said SMPD Lieutenant Lewis Gilmour. "Our investigators are in contact with the responsible owner of the vehicle to determine who was allowed to drive or not drive it at the time."
Police described the suspect as a man wearing a red hat, black sweater and black shoes.
A second couple, both in their 30s, was also struck in the crash, but they're expected to survive their injuries, police said.
Lipshy's company shared a statement with CBS LA on Monday, which read in part: "To all of us, Brad was so much more than a leader. He was a dad, son, brother, friend, mentor, an artist, and an entrepreneur. He built Event Solutions not just as a business, but as a place of refuge and warmth, where every employee was treated as family. Those who had the blessing of knowing him are better for it. His positivity was a beacon that led us all."
Police asked anyone who knows more about the crash to contact them at (310) 458-8327.
