District Attorney Honors Heroes for Courage Under Duress

District Attorney Honors Heroes
for Courage Under Duress

April 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

PASADENA – When Mireya Arias of Los Angeles reconnected with a childhood friend on a social networking Web site, the 22-year-old never imagined the exchange would lead to one of the most challenging decisions of her life.

As children, the friend confided in Arias that she was a victim of sexual abuse. A decade later, the friend filed charges against her abuser and Arias came forward as a witness. Setting aside all apprehension, Arias courageously took the witness stand. The young woman’s testimony helped prosecutors secure a conviction and the defendant was sentenced to 12 years in state prison.

For her valor, Arias and others who have demonstrated courage under duress will be honored with Courageous Citizen Awards at a luncheon ceremony Wednesday, April 23, from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Hilton, 150 S. Los Robles Ave. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Pasadena.

“In my nearly eight years as District Attorney, one of my favorite duties has been taking part in these Courageous Citizen Awards ceremonies,” District Attorney Steve Cooley said. “This is a great opportunity for me to personally thank heroes who have testified in court, knowing that it might put them in peril, helped a crime victim in jeopardy or faced danger and stared it down.”

Other honorees include David H.P. Lee, 44, of South El Monte and posthumous award recipient Christopher N. Chavez, who was 42 and lived in Rialto when he died.

Lee witnessed an armed robbery in progress and attempted to aid the victim. Lee first used his car to block the suspect from escaping and then tried to wrestle the suspect off his motorcycle. During the struggle, the suspect threatened Lee with a knife and then fatally stabbed the robbery victim before fleeing. Ultimately identifying the suspect and testifying in the murder trial, Lee helped send the defendant to prison for life without parole.

Chavez and three co-workers were riding motorcycles on Interstate 10 in the San Gabriel Valley last July when an aggressive SUV driver veered into the riders, injuring one of them. When the driver fled the scene, Chavez followed the vehicle and tracked it to a residence. He summoned police and the driver was arrested. As a result of his selfless acts, the defendant is awaiting trial on the charge of attempted murder. Several weeks later, Chavez died in a separate traffic incident.

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