John P. Axelrod, a prominent collector and retired lawyer, died on Saturday, January 3. He was killed in a hit-and-run incident in the Boston neighborhood of Back Bay, where he had a townhouse. He was 79.

According to a report by Boston.com, prosecutors allege that the suspect “intentionally” hit Axelrod, who was walking his dog on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Around 8am on Saturday, the suspect, later identified as William Haney, 42, drove onto the pedestrian mall and struck Axelrod before fleeing the scene, according to police. Axelrod was taken to a hospital where he later died. His dog, Tale, was killed in the crash.