September 14, 2009 (By Horatio Algren) According to reports a retired Azusa police officer was killed Saturday in a motorcycle accident after being hit by a wrong way driver.
According to the California Highway Patrol Sgt. John Madaloni the motorcycle accident occurred in the vicinity of the westbound 60 and the northbound 71 Freeway.
The rider identified as 55 year old retired Azusa Police Corporal Phillips was riding westbound on the 60 Freeway when he was struck head on by a driver traveling in the wrong direction. Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on the highway fled the scene of the accident, in a damaged compact car that was later found on a surface street abandoned according to California Highway Patrol Sgt. Madaloni.
Azusa Police Corporal Phillips joined the police department in 1975 and retired on his 50th birthday in 2004 according to reports. The California Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information about the accident to contact their Santa Fe Springs Station according to Sgt. Madaloni. This motorcycle accident will be remembered as sad day for the Department and the family.
