A brother and sister who allegedly were held at knifepoint by a parolee accused of killing a Los Angeles County sheriff’s sergeant in Lancaster were among two sets of siblings honored Wednesday as courageous citizens by Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey.
Nancy Arrowsmith-Hart, 20, and Trevor Hart, 18, of Lancaster were lauded for their quick thinking that led to the capture of Trenton Trevon Lovell, who unbeknownst to them was wanted in connection with the shooting death last Oct. 5 of sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Owen.
Arrowsmith-Hart secretly texted her mother, who alerted sheriff’s deputies about Lovell’s location, and her brother locked the family’s barking dog in a room where guns were stored after Lovell allegedly held the two siblings at knifepoint after convincing them he had been robbed and needed medical help, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Lovell — who was arrested outside the family’s house — has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges.
Also honored were Angelica Hernandez, 25, and her younger brothers, Sergio, 22, and Javier, 17, all of Duarte, for intervening in a May 17, 2015 attack on a woman by her husband in Duarte.
Angelica Hernandez called 911, while her brothers ran after the man as he hit his wife with a belt, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Sergio Hernandez pushed the man away from his wife, then was struck by the man before returning a punch. The man bit Sergio’s arm while struggling with the brothers after being tackled to the ground, where Angelica Hernandez shoved the man’s head away from her brother, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The three testified against the 32-year-old assailant, who was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading no contest last year to kidnapping and injuring a spouse.
“These honorees are role models for their generation — caring young people who exhibited tremendous courage and strength — both physically and mentally,” Lacey said. “They remind us of the core values we all share. They are heroes and they give me great hope for our future.”
The awards are presented several times a year to individuals who have performed extraordinary acts of selflessness in assisting in criminal prosecutions, aiding victims, preventing crimes or capturing suspects, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
— City News Service