SANTA MONICA – A man suspected of running down and killing two 61-year-old pedestrians in Santa Monica in October was behind bars Wednesday following his arrest in Chicago, authorities said Wednesday.

Alex Kristopher Earl Kirksey, 38, was arrested last week in connection with the Oct. 24 crash that killed Maura Cohen and Brad Lipshy, who was the CEO of a Santa Monica event planning firm.

The crash occurred 9:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Wilshire Boulevard, where a driver veered onto a sidewalk and into a group of pedestrians.

Two other people were seriously injured and taken to a hospital, police said.

The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot prior to officers’ arrival.

According to Santa Monica police, investigators tracked Kirksey to Chicago, where he was arrested with the

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