ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — A 58-year-old grandfather is being remembered after he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver as he crossed the street earlier this week.
“He had his lunch bag and coffee, and he almost crossed the street,” said Raul Garcia.
Raul met me at the corner of E. Mission Avenue and N. Broadway, feet from where his uncle, Miguel Garcia, was struck by an SUV in the crosswalk shortly after 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Miguel, a contractor, had walked from home to meet up with co-workers in a nearby lot to go to a job.
“It still doesn't feel real. What goes through my mind is just pain right now,” said Raul.
Police say after Miguel was struck, the driver took off. Miguel was rushed to a hospital, where he passed away.
“We are heartbroken and devastated,” said Raul.
Raul calls his uncle, who emigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico, more than three decades ago, a hardworking family man. He was skilled at many trades and a doting grandfather to five grandchildren.
“He was cheerful, happy, and, at all times, attentive,” said Raul. “There are three generations after my grandfather, now in Escondido.”
At the accident site, there is a memorial in tribute to the beloved grandfather.
On Thursday, police revealed that the 1995 gray Toyota Land Cruiser involved in the crash was recovered. They did not say what led them to the vehicle or where it was located.
“Hopeful. I felt grateful for one step closer to closure,” said Raul.
Raul is now appealing to the public for more tips to help police track down the driver.
“More than anything, it's inhumane. He was a living person with family and a story,” said Raul. "What's painful is he was on his way to work, being a good citizen, and crossing this crosswalk was the last thing he did.”
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Escondido Police Traffic Investigator Pete McCullough at 760-839-4930.
An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family with funeral and other expenses.
