This time it’s personal. And yes, I’m mad as hell.
Once again, someone riding a bicycle has been murdered by a hit-and-run driver, this time in West Hollywood.
And this time, at an intersection I’ve passed through literally thousands of times, on foot, on bike and in a car.
It was about 10 pm last night when a notification on the Ring app said someone had been struck by a driver at Fountain Ave and Gardner Street; video from the scene showed sheriff’s deputies had blocked the entire street in both directions, which is never a good sign.
That was confirmed today, when we learned the victim didn’t make it.
According to multiple sources, the victim was riding west on Fountain around 9:47 pm when he was run down from behind by the driver, who continued west on Fountain without stopping.
The victim was taken to the trauma center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died of his injuries. He has not been publicly identified.
Investigators are looking for a white, older-model BMW sedan, which will likely have a shattered windshield on the passenger side. There is no description of the driver at this time.
Fountain has long been one of the deadliest streets in West Hollywood, along with Sunset Blvd just a few blocks north. Gardner connects them at the east end of the city, and has been the scene of fatal hit-and-runs at the intersections with both streets less than two weeks apart.
And if that’s not a problem, I don’t know what is.
Fountain is also a designated bike route, where bike riders are encouraged to ride by the presence of sharrows, regardless of experience. And despite drivers who frequently exceed the posted 25 mph speed limit, sometimes by two or three times.
Plans have been in the works for at least two years now to fix Fountain, but have been held up by the usual endless series of public meetings and redesigns, as if residents concerned about parking somehow know more about designing safe streets than the people trained to do it.
The next meeting is planned for August 19th at 6 pm, in the Plummer Park Community Center.
And yes, I will do my best to be there.
Anyone with information related to the collision is urged to contact traffic investigators at the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at 310/855-8850. Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800/222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads).
This is at least the 24th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
This was also at least the eighth SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers since the first of the year.
But at least the Sheriff’s Department told us about it right away, unlike the LAPD.
Update: The victim has been identified as 27-year old Blake Ackerman, no city of resident given.
According to a crowdfunding page to support his mother and sister,
Anyone who knew Blake was lucky to call him a friend. Many of his friends became an extension of his family. Blake and his family welcomed everyone with open arms, into their home, their gatherings, and their family dinners. No matter who you were, you were always welcome.
Blake was full of limitless potential. He lived well and accomplished so much in his all-too-short years. He was a born leader, he served as student-body president and vice president at Beverly Hills High School, undergraduate vice president at USC, senior articles editor for the Loyola Law Review, and president of Loyola’s Surf & Ski Club. He also co-founded a human-rights advocacy group dedicated to prison-to-school education.
Prior to graduating law school, Blake externed for Judge Autumn D. Spaeth of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In 2023, he earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School, then clerked for Judge Clyde J. Wadsworth of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals in Oahu, where he met his soulmate, Torie. Together they moved back to his hometown of Los Angeles, and Blake joined Morgan Lewis as a litigation associate. Even in his busy professional life, Blake’s caring heart extended to pro bono work, he arranged one final matter to help someone in need, and his firm has honored to carry it forward in his memory.
As of this writing, the page has raised over $126,000 of a $150,000 goal.
Photo of Blake Ackerman from GoFundMe page
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Blake Ackerman and his loved ones.
Thanks to Brian Nilsen for the heads-up.
Hit and Run is a behavior from 3rd world countries for decades imported to the USA. It was never the American way.
If only Fountain in WeHo could be 1 lane wide for cars (like most of it is in the Los Angeles stretch). That will give plenty of room for a (protected) bicycle path.
See you at the August meeting!