A 28-year-old police officer and a woman were killed and two others injured in a high-speed two-vehicle crash during a chase in Alhambra before sunrise Thursday.
Officers responded to the area of Valley Boulevard and Fremont Avenue around 3 a.m. Thursday regarding a pursuit, according to police. It was unclear where the chase began and how long it lasted, but the collision occurred at or near the intersection of Edgewood Street and Valley Boulevard.
During the pursuit, an Alhambra Police Department SUV and a silver Hyundai SUV collided, leaving the cruiser severely damaged with airbags deployed. Video from the scene showed the officer appearing to be unconscious as he was taken in critical condition to Los Angeles General Medical Center, where he later died.
Alhambra Police Department Chief Garrett Kennedy said Officer Alec Sanders had been with the department for eight months, having been sworn in at a ceremony only recently. He previously worked for about a year with the Long Beach Police Department.
A passenger in the other vehicle involved in the collision was also killed, Kennedy said. The woman died at the scene. Reports from the site of the crash indicated she had been ejected from the vehicle. It was unclear if she had been wearing a safety belt.
Two other men in that vehicle were injured — a second passenger suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital, while the driver sustained moderate injuries and was being questioned.
Video from the scene showed the two vehicles sustained significant damage as a result of the collision. Police did not immediately announce the reason for the chase.
According to the California Highway Patrol, which was leading the crash investigation, video from a camera in the cruiser and possibly security video from nearby business will help determine the exact sequence of events, as it was not immediately clear if the officer was in the chase or responding to it.
”The driver of the Hyundai, Steven Zapata, a 27-year-old Hispanic male from El Monte, was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. A passenger, a 52-year-old Hispanic male, was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A second passenger, a 33-year-old Hispanic female, was ejected from the Hyundai and pronounced deceased at the scene,” CHP said in a statement.
It was unclear if the officer had lights and sirens on when the collision occurred.
Kennedy said the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office would also be involved in the investigation.
Sanders had gone to work Wednesday night to cover a shift for somebody else, according to the chief, who said the young officer is survived by a fiancée, two younger sisters and a brother, and would be “remembered for his dedication, his kindness and positive impact he had on everyone.”
A throng of officers and first responders from various agencies went to the hospital and accompanied the van bearing Sanders’ body in a somber procession to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office.
“He’s known for his unwavering reliability,” Kennedy said. “He was the type of officer who responded to every call, whether he was dispatched to it or not. He was just one of those officers. He was passionate about fitness, and he could often be found working out — a habit that was reflected in his discipline, both on and off the job.
“His intelligence, work ethic and steady presence made him a respected partner and a friend.”
Kennedy said Sanders enjoyed traveling and was a passionate Dallas Cowboys fan.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis has requested all county flags be lowered to half-staff in honor of Sanders’ memory.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags at the state Capitol and Capitol Annex to be flown at half-staff in Sanders’ memory.
“Jennifer and I offer our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Sanders,” Newsom said in a statement, referring to his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “His exemplary service and unwavering courage reflect the highest ideals of public duty.
“May we continue to honor his life with profound gratitude; never forgetting his ultimate sacrifice.”