Newly released bodycam and dashcam footage obtained by KTLA captures the moment an LAPD patrol car struck and killed a 30-year-old skateboarder in Highland Park earlier this year.
The crash happened around 7:17 p.m. on September 19, as officers were responding with lights and sirens to help set up a police perimeter near Figueroa Street and Piemont Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Investigators say the officer behind the wheel was attempting to move into the center median to get through heavy traffic when the patrol vehicle hit Gerardo “Jerry” Estrada, who was riding his skateboard in the same lane. Estrada died at the scene.
Authorities have not disclosed how fast the patrol car was going but said the officers were not believed to be speeding. Witnesses at a nearby carnival in Sycamore Grove Park reported hearing a loud crash that sounded like two vehicles colliding.
Friends and family gathered the following evening for a vigil in Estrada’s honor. His mother, Rosa Cazares, said her son had just finished work and was only minutes away from home when he was struck. She remembered him as “a bright light and a free spirit.”
Estrada worked as a host and bartender at a restaurant in the Arts District and held a degree from Santa Monica College. He had hopes of pursuing a career in photography and film.
The incident remains under investigation by the LAPD Traffic Coordination Division and its Multidisciplinary Collision Investigation Team.
Video From KTLA
His Family started a GoFundMe which raised over $27,000
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Loving Memory of
Gerardo Estrada
The loss of Gerardo Estrada, lovingly known as Jerry, has brought unimaginable grief to our family, friends, and community.
With heavy hearts, we are creating this page to support my sister Rosa with funeral expenses and to help lay our beloved nephew Jerry to rest. On Friday night, as Jerry was coming home from work, he was tragically struck and killed by an LAPD vehicle that was responding to another incident.
Jerry was a kind-hearted soul who was always willing to help anyone. He was full of love, and he was deeply loved in return. He had a passion for film and media, and for 11 years he was a dedicated part of the Wurstküche family in the Los Angeles Arts District. His friends, coworkers, and everyone who knew him describe Jerry as a wonderful person with a heart of gold.
Any contribution, no matter the amount, will mean so much to our family. Your support will help ease the financial burden we are facing during this heartbreaking time.
On behalf of my sister Rosa and our entire family, we are truly grateful for your prayers, love, and messages of support. Please continue to keep Jerry and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare to honor his memory with the dignified farewell he deserves.
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