Peter Tripp Akemann, 57, of Culver City, who pleaded guilty in February to the unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft in connection with flying a drone that crashed into a firefighting aircraft known as a "Super Scooper," was sentenced to prison and home confinement on Monday, to be followed by supervised release, a fine, restitution and community service.

Akemann was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald to serve 14 days in federal prison, followed by 30 days' home detention. He was also ordered to pay about $156,000 in restitution and fines, prosecutors said.

Peter Akemann, the former president of Skydance Interactive

As part of his plea agreement, filed in Los Angeles federal court, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the government of Quebec, which supplied the plane, and an aircraft repair company that handled the necessary fixes, the document states. Akemann, who helped create the studio that is now part of Activision’s massive Call Of Duty machine, will also have to pay around $156,000 in various fines.

Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.

“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations. As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”

“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules and respect our firefighters and the residents they are protecting by keeping your drone at home during wildfires.”

According to the plea agreement, while the wildfire was burning in and around Pacific Palisades on January 9, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and parked his vehicle on the top floor of the parking structure. He then launched a drone and flew it towards Pacific Palisades to observe damage caused by the Palisades Fire.

Akemann flew the drone at least 2,500 meters (more than 1.5 miles) toward the fire and lost sight of the drone. As Akemann was flying the drone, it collided with a Government of Quebec Super Scooper carrying two crewmembers attempting to fight the blaze. The impact caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. After landing, maintenance personnel identified the damage and took the aircraft out of service for repairs.



At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions that prohibited drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires that erupted earlier this month.

As a result of the collision, the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company incurred costs of at least $65,169 to repair the plane.

The FBI investigated this matter. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) provided substantial assistance.

According to Variety, Akemann, a graduate of the University of California San Diego who holds a Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley, co-founded the video game developer Treyarch (which worked on Spider-Man and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, among other titles) and The Workshop Entertainment (behind Sorcery and Borderlands 2: Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage). He joined Skydance Interactive in 2016 after the entertainment company acquired The Workshop and launched an interactive division that has since produced titles like Skydance’s Behemoth and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. He has since departed from Skydance.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Earlier today, CHP dispatch notified the Santa Monica Police of a man believed to be holding a gun on the I-10 embankment near 17th St. Officers responded, and the individual fled beneath the 17th St. bridge before ultimately surrendering. The weapon was determined to be a BB gun located nearby.

No one was injured. SMPD utilized SMART Center resources, including the drone while LAPD also provided air support. The I-10 was closed in both directions for approximately 30–45 minutes and has since been fully reopened.

Los Angeles Fire Department resources assisted Los Angeles County Lifeguards and Fire in search operations for an approximately 50-year-old male who was seen entering the ocean channel at Marina Del Rey Harbor. The patient was located approximately 30 yards from his point of entry by LACO Lifeguards and taken to the Beaches and Harbor docks for advanced care by LAFD firefighter/paramedics. Unfortunately, the patient was beyond medical help and pronounced deceased onscene.

Catch up on all the best moments from Red Bull Origin 2025 as a stacked lineup of skaters throw down on the Venice Boardwalk. Watch Andy Anderson, Ryan Decenzo, Jamie Foy, CJ Collins, Leo Romero, Torey Pudwill and more compete in a series of contests built to celebrate the history of street skateboarding.

Natas changed skateboarding forever. He breaks down how he started skating, OG Phillips art, reissues, favorite graphics, and of course… The Hydrant. Straight skate history, told by the dude who lived it.

Beachgoers may see bright pink waves Sept. 15, 22–24 and 30, weather permitting

Visitors to Santa Monica Beach may notice the ocean waves turning pink September 15, 22–24 and 30 near the breakwater and pier because of a temporary, non-toxic dye used to study water quality. Researchers from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering will release the dye in collaboration with The Bay Foundation. The fluorescent rhodamine water tracer dye, which has been used by researchers for many years to understand water movement, will disperse naturally and pose no risk to people, animals or vegetation.

The project builds on a 2024 experiment by the UCLA Coastal Flood Lab and The Bay Foundation, continuing efforts to study how the Santa Monica Breakwater influences ocean circulation and contributes to poor water quality.

Constructed in 1934 to create the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor, the breakwater reduced wave energy and allowed boats to dock in calmer waters. Over time, storms damaged the structure, and by the mid-1980s, it had been reduced to its current height, making it no longer functional as a marina. The rocky breakwater remnants offshore of the pier are visible from the beach, especially at low tide.

“Although the breakwater was badly damaged and the elevation reduced, it still substantially impacts the coastal hydrodynamics and surrounding environment,” said Timu Gallien, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA Samueli and the study’s principal investigator. “For example, the breakwater protects the beach from large waves, keeping the beach wider that it would naturally be.”

The water containing the dye will carry the passive tracer wherever the current leads. If wave conditions are favorable, researchers will release the dye near the breakwater and use monitors to track its movement.

“By following where the dye goes, we will better understand how the breakwater changes the environment around it, providing insight into Santa Monica Beach’s poor water quality,” said Isabella Arzeno Soltero, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA Samueli and the study’s co-investigator.

Funded by The Bay Foundation, the research team includes project leads Bernabe Gomez, a postdoctoral scholar who will perform the numerical wave modeling, and Gallien’s doctoral student Gabi Carr, who will investigate the eDNA characterization of the breakwater. Alejandro Angel, a Ph.D. student in Gallien’s research group, will conduct circulation modeling while Arzeno-Soltero’s doctoral student Eber Reyes will be involved in data analysis.

“We are proud to support UCLA in this important research,” said Tom Ford, CEO of The Bay Foundation and director of the Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program. “The findings will help guide efforts to protect and restore this vital coastal ecosystem.”

Established in 1990, The Bay Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to restoring and enhancing Santa Monica Bay and its surrounding coastal waters. Its mission is to improve water quality, conserve and rehabilitate natural resources, and protect the Bay’s benefits and values through collaborative actions and partnerships.

The dye releases have been reviewed and approved by the city of Santa Monica, the California Coastal Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Researchers will be at the site during the experiments to share informational brochures and answer questions from the community.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

The Red Bull "Origin" event is back again for the 2025 edition in Venice Beach, Ca. with day 1 kicking things off with the Cash 4 Tricks Bowl Jam along with the infamous "Death Race" and of course the legendary fire hydrant "Natas Spin" challenge. Finally we end things with a hectic best trick jam over the hydrant. Day 1 riders include Andy Anderson, Sky Brown, Alex Sorgente, Matt Berger, John Dilo, Kristian Jordan, Torey Pudwill, Brandon Turner, Ryan Decenzo, Ruby Lilley, Santana Saldana and many more....

On Sunday, August 31, 2025, at approximately 4:58 p.m., the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon near 1615 Ocean Front Walk.

Responding officers located an adult male who had sustained non-life-threatening stab wounds. They provided medical aid until Santa Monica Fire Department personnel arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital.

The assault occurred at the top of a pedestrian staircase connecting Ocean Front Walk to Appian Way. The suspect approached, stabbed the victim multiple times, and fled on foot.

Following an extensive investigation, officers located and arrested Malvin Walker (DOB: May 25, 2001) on the evening of September 3rd in the 1800 block of Ocean Front Walk. Officers assigned to routine patrol recognized Walker and detained him without incident.

Walker was arrested in connection with the stabbing and is being charged with attempted murder (California Penal Code 664/187). He was also booked on unrelated charges, including felony vandalism (no bail) and a $51,000 warrant for battery.

At the time of this release, Walker remains in police custody.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist in the investigation is urged to contact Detective Isaac Reyes at isaac.reyes@santamonica.gov or the Santa Monica Police Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.