Procession Will Take Gardena Motor Officer's Body To LA County Coroner's Office
GARDENA (CBSLA) — The body of Gardena police Officer Toshio Hirai will be moved in a noon procession Tuesday from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance to the Los Angeles County coroner's office near downtown Los Angeles.
The 34-year-old officer was on his way to work when he was involved in a crash about 7:50 a.m. last Wednesday at Western Avenue and 238th Street in Harbor City. He died the next day, leaving behind a wife and 2-year-old son.
Hirai, who spoke five languages, was a 12-year veteran of the police department and a member of its SWAT team.
The driver of the other vehicle stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which was investigating the collision. Neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected as factors in the crash.
Funeral services are set for Nov. 30 at Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel, 27501 S. Western Ave., in Rancho Palos Verdes, according to Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast.
The Gardena Police Officers Association set up a donation site to assist the Hirai family and is also accepting checks made payable to the Gardena Police Officers' Association (GPOA), which can be mailed to or dropped off at: Gardena Police Department, 1718 W. 162nd St., Gardena, CA 90247. All donations to the GPOA are tax deductible.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)