Local heroes honored for bravery
By Marshall Allen , Staff Writer
Pasadena Star-News, CA
March 24 2005
PASADENA — After a man went on a rampage and assaulted residents and
police officers, some witnesses declined to testify at his trial.
But not Eric Walker. The 30- year-old Monrovia man took the stand
three times once during a preliminary hearing and twice during the
trial under intense cross examination. His testimony led to the
conviction of Lewis Divens, 40, of Palmdale.
His testimony also resulted in a Courageous Citizens Award, presented
Wednesday by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.
“I didn’t do it because of an award, but for moral responsibility,’
Walker said of his testimony.
District Attorney Steve Cooley was present for the ceremony recognizing
six people whose heroic actions saved others from harm and led to
convictions of criminals. The event took place during the meeting of
the Rotary Club of Pasadena at the Hilton Hotel.
“Their courage and willingness to stand up for what’s right is an
example for us all,’ Cooley said.
Walker witnessed Divens’ rampage and almost became a victim on March
12, 2004. Deputy District Attorney Tal Kahana presented Walker with
his award and told the story of his bravery.
Walker, who has physical and developmental disabilities, was walking
to the video store when he saw a black pickup truck waiting at a stop
sign. For no apparent reason, a man later identified as Divens ran
to the truck and began punching its driver through an open window,
Kahana said.
Then Divens picked up a bicycle from the bed of the truck and threw
it through the back window, she said.
The pickup sped away and Walker, terrified, ran to the store, Kahana
said. Later, he left the store, unaware that the violent rampage was
continuing, she said.
As Walker passed a tire store he saw Divens assaulting an employee.
This time, Divens saw Walker and pursued him to his home, where Walker
called the police. Divens was eventually subdued after assaulting
officers, Kahana said.
At the trial, many witnesses refused to testify against the assailant,
Kahana said. But Walker testified at the preliminary hearing, and
twice at the trial. One time he was subjected to cross examination
by the suspect, who was representing himself, and another time by an
aggressive defense attorney, Kahana said.
“Others were intimidated and refused to come forward, but Eric,
you came forward,’ Kahana said.
After the awards presentation, Walker said he was not afraid to
testify against Divens, who was sentenced to six years in prison.
Other award recipients included Gilbert Bonus, 27, and Matthew Lennig,
20, both of Temple City; Domingo Najera, 21, of Pasadena and Jason
Tran, 19, of Monrovia. The four were employees of a Pasadena Best
Buy store who thwarted a would-be carjacker on May 11.
The suspect in the case, Larry Joe Bailey, 31, of Moreno Valley, tried
to carjack a vehicle as Tran was loading it with a TV, said Deputy
District Attorney Kathleen Gentry. The car belonged to three women,
including one elderly woman who was in the front passenger seat when
Bailey climbed into the driver’s seat, Gentry said.
The Best Buy employees pulled Bailey from the car and subdued him,
even as he struggled violently to escape, Gentry said. “You not only
saved and protected your customers, but you put yourself in harm’s
way,’ Gentry said to the men.
The final award was given posthumously to Raul Aguirre Jr., a
17-year-old senior at Hoover High School in Glendale, who was killed
by gang members on May 5, 2000. Aguirre, who was not a gang member,
intervened when Armenian gang members attacked a Latino gang member.
Because of Aguirre, the gang member survived the attack. The assailants
were convicted for the crime, prosecutors said.