Funeral services were held on May 20 for Los Angeles Police Dept. Detective Ernest L. Allen, who was killed when a cement mixer struck his pickup truck along a winding, hilly stretch of road in Beverly Hills.
Allen, 52, was killed shortly before 2 p.m. May 9 in the 1000 block of Loma Vista Drive. He was a 27-year veteran of the department, and his assignments included stints at the 77th Street, Wilshire, Rampart and Southwest stations, according to the LAPD.
LAPD Officer Nicholas Lee, 40, was killed on the same street on March 7 when his patrol car was struck by a truck.
Funeral services for Allen were held at Faithful Central Bible Church, 321 North Eucalyptus Avenue, in Inglewood, followed by burial at Inglewood Park Cemetery. Singer Stevie Wonder sang at the service.
Allen was off-duty and in his personal vehicle when he was killed. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said Allen had off-duty employment in the area and regularly traveled the street where he was killed. He said the cement truck that crushed him had been going southbound, down a steep hill, when the crash happened.
Allen is survived by his mother, two children, two grandchildren, a sister and fiancé, according to the LAPD.