Man arrested, charged after Santa Monica hit-and-run crash that left 2 dead
A man is facing several felony charges after he allegedly killed two people in a hit-and-run collision in Santa Monica last month, authorities said.
Alex Kristopher Earl Kirksey, 38, was arrested in connection with the crash that occurred on Wilshire Boulevard near Euclid Avenue just after 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24. The Santa Monica Police Department said Maura Cohen and Brad Lipshy, both 61, were walking when Kirksey drove a Dodge Charger onto the sidewalk, killing them and injuring two others.
Kirksey fled the scene on foot, leaving the vehicle behind, police said.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Santa Monica Interim Police Chief Darrick Jacob said the Charger was rented online from a corporation.
In the aftermath of the crash, Jacob said, the person who rented the vehicle on behalf of Kirksey went to the scene and asked questions about what had happened. The person, identified only as a woman with a "close personal relationship" to Kirksey, remains under investigation.
Jacob said the woman assisted Kirksey in fleeing the state after the crash.
Kirksey was later located in Chicago. The Chicago Police Department tracked him down near a local transit center, and he was extradited back to Southern California.
"This arrest reflects the persistence and professionalism of our investigators, who worked tirelessly to identify and locate those responsible for this senseless act," said Interim Chief Darrick Jacob. "While nothing can undo the pain this tragedy caused, this marks an important step toward justice for the victims and their families."
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the investigation "fantastic" and praised law enforcement agencies in Santa Monica and Chicago. He announced that Kirksey was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony hit-and-run resulting in injury and one count of reckless driving.
Hochman said Kirksey could face up to 26 years in prison if convicted. After a bail deviation, his bail was set at $1 million.
