Alhambra police officers wore black bands of mourning across their badges Monday in memory of a colleague killed in the weekend collision of two squad cars responding to a report of a robbery.
Officer Ryan Stringer, 26, died Sunday of injuries he suffered when his 2006 Ford Crown Victoria collided with another patrol car, a 2007 Dodge Charger driven by Officer Juan Carlos Mejia, 27, the Alhambra Police Department reported.
A memorial service for Stringer will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs at 22324 Golden Springs Drive in Diamond Bar, Alhambra police Lt. Edith Lopez said. The service is open to the public, she said.
The funeral procession is scheduled to arrived at the chapel by noon.
Police were responding to a possible robbery in a parking lot in the 100 block of North First Street when the patrol cars collided at the intersection of Garfield Avenue and Main Street at 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Lopez said.
Both officers were taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, where Stringer died of his injuries, becoming Alhambra’s fourth officer to die in the line of duty. Mejia was reported to be in stable condition.
The California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the crash, reported that Stringer was driving westbound on Main Street approaching Garfield while Mejia was northbound on Garfield approaching the same intersection when the collision took place.
Authorities did not immediately provide details on the robbery report that drew Stringer and Mejia to the site.
Well-wishers have been delivering flowers to Alhambra police station, said Sgt. Kean Oda.
“In the prime of his life, he made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of protecting his community,” Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife Anne Gust Brown said.
Donations may be sent to the Ryan Stringer Memorial Fund care of the Alhambra Police Officers Association, Post Office Box 7339, Alhambra, Calif. 91801.
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