MOURNERS HONOR SHERIFF’S DEPUTY WHO DIED IN CRASH
Deputies and others gathered at the Del Amo and Paramount boulevards intersection in Lakewood on Friday to honor the motorcycle deputy who died there the day before in a crash, leaving candles and dozens of flowers on a street corner or on a median.
Two other memorials popped up as well, at the sheriff’s station in the city and at the station in Pico Rivera, where Deputy Thomas J. Albanese, 41, was last assigned.
At the crash site memorial, deputies often drove by. At one point two motorcycle deputies pulled over and walked over to the memorial. One made the sign of the cross before laying flowers down next to others.
Small pieces of debris from the
crash, which left the deputy’s motorcycle mangled, could still be seen in the middle of the intersection. Albanese apparently had been in a short pursuit of a speeding Dodge Charger when he collided with another sedan in the intersection. The driver of that car was not hospitalized.
Albanese had worked at the Lakewood station for several years but transferred to Pico Rivera about one year ago to become a motorcycle deputy, his dream job. He was working overtime at the Lakewood station on Thursday.
Two miles away, at the
Lakewood station, Friday afternoon found several dozen flowers and some candles set out by the memorial for fallen Lakewood deputies, a multipanel wall that holds a large sheriff’s star, a prayer and plaques.
“It’s sad when any officer loses their life in the line of duty trying to protect the communities that they work in,” said Louis McMullen, 54, who brought flowers to the Lakewood station.
A Long Beach resident, McMullen was a police explorer for five years in her city. She teared up when talking about Albanese’s family: He had a wife and two sons, ages 7 and 11.
“His kids are going to grow up without knowing him,” she said. “The role model that they had was taken away.”
Mourners also left flowers outside of the Pico Rivera station. Deputies also made a small memorial for Albanese inside the station with flowers and cards.
“There are no words to
describe our grief,” said Lt. Jodi Hutak of the Pico Rivera station.
In his fairly short time there, Hutak said, Albanese fit in quickly and was doing great work. During the holidays he handed out gift cards, donated to the station, to people on the streets.
The seven-year veteran, who had spent a decade in the Marine Corps, helped train new deputies.
Just within the past two weeks, the lieutenant said, Albanese received three commendations from the public.
One was from an unexpected source.
“One person who he gave a citation to called to say how professional he is,” Hutak said.