Ryan Stringer, an Alhambra police officer, died yesterday morning in a collision with another officer. Both were responding to a call about a robbery in an Alhambra parking lot, and one of them ran a red light, reports KTLA.
Both Stringer and Officer Juan Carlos Mejia, the other policeman involved in the crash, were taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, reports NBC LA. Stringer died of his injuries at the hospital, while Mejia is in stable condition.
Governor Jerry Brown released a statement about Stringer's passing (via CBS):
Anne and I extend our deep condolences to Officer Stringer's family, friends and colleagues. In the prime of his life he made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of protecting his community.
Stringer narrowly escaped death last year when he was hit on the 605 freeway while on his motorcycle. From ABC 7:
"He was not expected to live at that time. They told us he had no chance, then he came back 100 percent. In six months he was back to work full time," said Stringer's father, Sonny. "He just loved everybody. He couldn't hardly wait. He'd be so excited about going to work he'd be there an hour, an hour and a half early."
Stringer was 26 years old and had served with Alhambra's police department since January 2009. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the collision.