The tragic Blake Ackerman hit-and-run case is now a step further down the legal process road. Prosecutors filed a felony charge this week against the driver who’s been accused of leaving the scene after the crash that killed the 27-year who was riding his bike on Fountain Avenue, near Gardner Ave.
As first reported by WeHoTimes, the elderly defendant, Douglas Morton Adams is now officially charged with “hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury”, a felony under California law.
Ackerman was struck the night of July 10 and later died from his injuries at Cedars- Sinai.
Adams was arrested back on July 15 after a witness tip helped identify the car that was suspected of hitting Ackerman.Records show his bail was set at $50,000 but bailed out later that night and was released on his own recognizance. Investigators say the break in the case came from a tourist who was visiting from Florida. They provided video showing a silver 1998 BMW 328i sedan moments after the crash which was later connected to Adams’ license plate.
A hit-and-run case can be confusing to a legal layperson. Most don’t get that the charge is not about what caused the collision or who was at fault. It’s focused solely on what happened after the accident: did the driver stop, stay, report what happened, basically — did they do what the law requires. It’s a separate question from whether the driver was at fault, was speed a factor, were they impaired, or anything else that might determine who was at fault for the accident.
Adams is due back in court on Jan. 27 for a preliminary hearing.
If you have information related to the case, the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station has asked the public to contact traffic investigators at (310) 855-8850.
The defendant is in his late 70’s and shouldn’t have been driving to begin with. Unless this case is going to be the precedent that restricts senior driving (which I greatly doubt) this case is nothing but window dressing on the bicyclist death. A bandaid. A side show. Nothing will come from this except the further decline of an elderly man and his family.
HA, let’s see what you say about driving if you reach your late 70’s (even though the guy is 73)