A candlelight vigil is planned for Tuesday evening in remembrance of fallen Alhambra police officer Alec Sanders, who was killed in the line of duty last week when his patrol cruiser collided with an allegedly stolen SUV during a chase.
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"We invite our community members, law-enforcement partners, and friends to join us for a candlelight vigil to honor Officer Sanders," the Alhambra PD announced Monday.
The vigil is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday outside the Alhambra Police Station, 211 S. First St.
Sanders, 28, died Thursday in the early-morning crash at the intersection of Edgewood Street and Valley Boulevard. Police said officers initially responded to the area of Valley Boulevard and Fremont Avenue regarding a pursuit.
It was unclear if Sanders was involved in the pursuit or was responding to it when the crash occurred. It was also unclear if the cruiser had lights and sirens on at the time.
The crash also killed one of the passengers in the allegedly stolen silver Hyundai SUV. She was identified as 42-year-old Gabriela Moreno, who was ejected from the vehicle in the impact.
On Monday, the driver of the SUV -- Steven Ara Zapata, 27, of El Monte -- was charged with two counts of murder, one count of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury and two counts of fleeing a peace officer's motor vehicle causing death.
Zapata also sustained moderate injuries in the crash and was taken to a hospital, where he was later arrested. It was unclear when Zapata would appear in court for arraignment. A third person in the SUV, a 52-year-old man, also sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The crash, around 3 a.m. Thursday, left both the Alhambra cruiser and the Hyundai SUV severely damaged, with airbags deployed.
The cruiser came to rest in westbound lanes of Valley Boulevard, west of Edgewood, while the Hyundai careened into a parking lot behind a fast food eatery west of Edgewood.
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 died.
Sanders, who had been with the Alhambra Police Department for just eight months, was covering the shift of a colleague when he was fatally injured. He previously worked for about a year with the Long Beach Police Department.
He is survived by a fiancée, two younger sisters and a brother.
Alhambra Police Chief Garrett Kennedy -- speaking at a news conference outside the medical center on Thursday -- said Sanders would be "remembered for his dedication, his kindness and positive impact he had on everyone."
"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," Kennedy said. "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.
A spokesman for Alhambra police said Monday that funeral arrangements for Sanders had not yet been finalized, as the agency was still awaiting word from the officer's family.
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