Hit-Run Death of Woman Mars Quiet Holiday

One of the quieter Memorial Day holidays in Orange County was marred by the death early Monday of a 21-year-old Garden Grove woman who was killed by a hit-and-run driver as she ran across Beach Boulevard in Westminster.

The death of Lisa Ann Swisher was the only county traffic fatality but one of 42 in the state by 6 a.m. Monday, the last day of the three-day holiday weekend, according to the California Highway Patrol. The figure was one more than last year at the same time.

One fatality not included in the CHP weekend statistics was the death of Lawrence B. Langley, 17, of Buena Park, who was killed in a collision of two motorcycles in the Hungry Valley state recreation vehicle area near Castaic. The other biker, Mark Snyder, 14, suffered moderate injuries.

The CHP in Orange County arrested 124 drunk driving suspects through 6 a.m. Monday, 13 fewer than during the same time period last year.

Accused in Fatality

One of those arrested was Pamela M. Cook, 19, of Anaheim, who police accused in the death of Swisher.

Swisher was running across Beach Boulevard about 12:10 a.m. when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver. She died at the scene. Two witnesses pursued the driver but lost the car, police said.

Given a description of the car, however, police stopped Cook a short time later at Hazard Avenue and Magnolia Street and arrested her on suspicion of drunk driving and hit-and-run vehicular manslaughter, Westminster Police Lt. Richard Main said. Cook was booked into the Orange County Women’s Jail and released on bail.

With 12 hours still to go before the weekend officially ended at 6 p.m. Monday, there had been 2,391 drunk-driving arrests statewide, compared to 2,379 for the entire period a year ago. CHP spokesman Monty Kiefer said that drunk-driving arrests were probably higher this year because more officers were on the road.

In La Habra, a 6-year-old Whittier girl suffered head injuries when she rode her toy scooter out between two parked cars and was hit by a car on Grace Street about 6:50 p.m. Sunday, said Sgt. Tom Machado. Kylene James was reported in critical but stable condition Monday night in the intensive care unit of St. Jude Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in Fullerton.

Crosses and Flags

Meanwhile, the day set aside for remembering those who were lost in wars past turned out to be a quiet day in Southern California, a day made for reflection.

Wooden white crosses and American flags were placed on more than 2,100 graves Monday during the 47th annual Memorial Day program at Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton as veterans and others commemorated those who lost their lives for their country.

At a small gathering at the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood, U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) said the United States must achieve lasting peace with the Soviet Union because either nation could launch deadly missile strikes against the other at any moment.

He pointed out that 41 wars and rebellions of one sort or another are now being waged around the world.

But there were no big parades to mark the day.

The day, much like the weekend, also was quiet on the beaches. Orange County lifeguards reported low turnouts throughout the three-day holiday, even though they considered Monday the sunniest day. They blamed late clearing of the overcast and cool winds in the early afternoon for what Doheny State Beach Ranger Jerry Spansail called “the quietest Memorial Day weekend in the 10 years I’ve been here.”

Throughout the county, lifeguards reported routine rescues, mainly from riptide activity.

Times staff writers Jack Jones and Roxana Kopetman contributed to this story.