Chris Gerra (left) died trying to stalk Justin Bieber.
The paparazzo killed by a car while he was stalking Justin Bieber's white Ferrari believed he was onto a huge scoop — claiming he had seen the Biebs smoking weed while driving.
A source tells TMZ that Chris Guerra, 29, was convinced he'd seen Biebs puffing a pot pipe earlier in the day and that may explain the "overzealous" behavior that led to Guerra getting mowed down by a car after snapping photos of the Ferrari pulled over by a cop.
Compounding the tragedy, Biebs wasn't even behind the wheel when Guerra was killed. It was Biebs' buddy Lil Twist — a rapping protege of Lil' Wayne — who's been partying with Bieber and recently slugged champagne with him in Mexico (where they can legally drink; Bieber is 18 and Twist 19). They showed off their cork-popping on Instagram:
Bieber, who has had high-profile run-ins with paparazzi in the past, released an official statement:
While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim… Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves.
Miley Cyrus was less gracious in her reaction:
Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in '13 Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn't Princess Di enough of a wake up call?!
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) January 2, 2013
It is unfair for anyone to put this on to Justin's conscious as well! This was bound to happen! Your mom teaches u when your a child not
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) January 2, 2013
to play in the street! The chaos that comes with the paparazzi acting like fools makes it impossible for anyone to make safe choices.
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) January 2, 2013
The Lil Twist-driven Ferrari was flagged for speeding by California Highway Patrol on I-405 in Los Angeles, and the driver pulled off onto Sepulveda Boulevard. Guerra, who'd tracked the iconic vehicle from the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, snapped a few shots before the cop yelled at him again to get back in his car, which was across the road. As he crossed a Toyota Highlander SUV rammed him. Its female driver reportedly stopped and helped block traffic from running over the body.
LAPD Sgt. Rudy Lopez told reporters:
[The cop on-scene] verbally ordered him to return to the vehicle, he had to order him twice and he seemed reluctant to go back, but eventually he did. When the photographer returned to the vehicle it did not appear that he was looking and he was struck by a vehicle traveling southbound.
Guerra died at the hospital.
