ALHAMBRA (CNS) - The driver of a stolen SUV that collided with a police cruiser in Alhambra, killing a 28-year-old officer, was facing a possible second-degree murder charge Friday as he recovered from injuries he sustained in the crash, which also left one of his passengers dead.
A woman who was in the SUV died at the scene while the driver of the silver Hyundai and a second passenger were injured in the crash around 3 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Edgewood Street and Valley Boulevard.
Alec Sanders, an officer 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 was rushed to the trauma unit at Los Angeles General Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save him.
Sanders, who previously worked for about a year with the Long Beach Police Department, leaves behind a fiancée, two younger sisters and a brother.
Alhambra Police Chief Garrett Kennedy -- speaking at a news conference outside the medical center, said Sanders would be "remembered for his dedication, his kindness and positive impact he had on everyone."
Thursday's tragedy occurred as officers responded to the area of Valley Boulevard and Fremont Avenue regarding a pursuit, according to police.
Alhambra police were pursuing the SUV, which had been reported stolen, but it was not immediately clear where the chase began or how long it lasted -- or whether Sanders was part of the pursuit or was responding to it. It was also unclear if the cruiser had lights and sirens on when the collision occurred.
The crash left both the Alhambra police SUV 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 the hospital.
The woman who died at the scene had been ejected, according to the CHP, and it was unclear if she had been wearing a safety belt.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office later identified her as 42-year-old Gabriela Moreno.
The driver, who was identified by the CHP as Steven Zapata, 27, of El Monte, sustained moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Kennedy said that Zapata had been subject to questioning by investigators, and a CHP spokesman said the agency arrested him on suspicion of second degree murder after a criminal investigation was launched by the CHP's Southern Division Major Crimes Unit.
The investigation was ongoing Friday, and the CHP will be working with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office on the case.
Meanwhile, Zapata was awaiting medical clearance to be taken from the hospital and processed into a detention facility.
A second passenger in the SUV, a 52-year-old man whose name was not released, sustained more serious, but non-life-threatening injuries and was also taken to a hospital, the CHP reported.
Around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a throng of officers and other first- responders from various agencies went to the hospital and accompanied the van bearing Sanders' body in a somber procession to the medical examiner's office.
"He's known for his unwavering reliability," Kennedy said of the fallen officer.
"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 Solis requested all county flags be lowered to half-staff in Sanders' memory.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic collision that occurred this morning during a pursuit in Alhambra, which resulted in the death of Officer Alec Sanders," Solis said in a statement Thursday.
Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena -- a former Alhambra mayor -- also mourned Thursday's events.
"This is a tragic loss of a young public servant who had just recently begun his position with the Alhambra Police Department, but who had already distinguished himself as the kind of reliable police officer who endeared himself to his fellow officers and to his community," Pérez said.
"As the former Mayor of Alhambra, I know the deep loss this will leave in our close-knit city that stands together in times of loss and grief."
In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags at the state Capitol and Capitol Annex to be flown at half-staff in honor of Sanders.
"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."
ABC 7 reported that Sanders' death brings to seven the number of Los Angeles County peace officers to die in the line of duty this year -- making 2025 the deadliest since 1994 for county law enforcement personnel.
Funeral arrangement for Sanders were pending.