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ALHAMBRA, Calif. () — An El Monte man who was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen SUV that collided with a police cruiser, killing one of his own passengers and an Alhambra police officer, appeared in court Thursday morning.
Steven Ara Zapata, 27, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges. He was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of just over $4 million bail while awaiting his next court appearance Feb. 23.
Officer Alec Sanders, 28, had joined the department about eight months before the early-morning crash on Nov. 20. Alhambra Police Chief Garrett Kennedy said that Sanders had gone to work the previous evening to cover a shift for somebody else. The chief said Sanders is survived by his fiancée, two younger sisters and a brother, and would be “remembered for his dedication, his kindness and positive impact he had on everyone.”
An Alhambra police officer has died following a chase that ended in a violent crash, which left another person dead and two others injured.
The collision happened near Valley Boulevard and Edgewood Drive around 3 a.m.
The suspect was driving a stolen Hyundai SUV northbound through the intersection of Edgewood Drive and Valley Boulevard when the car collided with Sanders’ patrol vehicle, which was going westbound on Valley Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities identified the driver of the Hyundai as Zapata. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained in the collision, including cuts that bloodied his face.
Zapata was charged Nov. 24 with two counts each of murder and fleeing a peace officer’s motor vehicle causing death, along with one count of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury.
Two other people were inside the suspect vehicle. A 52-year-old man was hospitalized with injuries considered not life threatening, and a 33-year-old woman died at the scene after she was ejected from the Hyundai.
An Alhambra police officer has died following a chase that ended in a violent crash, which left another person dead and two others injured.
Hours after the crash, Sanders’ flag-draped body was placed in a van and escorted by a solemn procession to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office, located less than a mile from the hospital.
As emergency responders stood at attention along the route, the slow-moving van was followed on foot by a column of Sanders’ fellow officers and loved ones.
“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.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
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