Community Corner

South Pas Street Closures Wednesday Morning for Military Funeral

The funeral for a man killed in Afghanistan on May 14 is expected to draw more than 1,000 mourners to Holy Family Church Wednesday, and South Pasadena Police are closing off several streets and rerouting traffic from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Spc. William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights, CA, died in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, according to Gov. Jerry Brown's state website. Gilbert's mother lives in Pasadena and attends Holy Family, South Pas Sgt. Brian Solinsky said Tuesday.

"The closures are prime time for morning traffic so it may get a little hectic,'' Solinsky said, noting the department was scrambling to accommodate the last-minute closures. 


The funeral begins at 10 a.m. and is expected to run through 11:30 a.m. 

Here's what's closed:

• Fremont Avenue between Bank and Oak streets. Traffic will be rerouted to Fairoaks Avenue. 

• Oak Street between Ramona and Freemont avenues. 

• Rollin Street from Ramona to the 1400 block of Rollin Street. 

Gilbert was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX. Spc. William J. Gilbert was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The flag over the capitol was lowered to half staff to honor Gilbert on Friday. Of Gilbert, Brown wrote that he "bravely gave his life in service to our state and nation.''

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