An aspiring National Guardsman was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver at a California bus stop just days before his 20th birthday, according to police and his heartbroken family.
Ricky Ray Reyes Jr., 19, was pronounced dead at the scene after the unidentified driver jumped the sidewalk and plowed into him while he waited for the bus at Del Paso and El Centro roads in North Natomas Wednesday afternoon, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
Reyes, a deli worker and former Junior ROTC cadet who devoted his weekends at the Army National Guard Base in Sacramento, had just finished a tour at a local trade school when he was tragically killed, his devastated loved ones said in a GoFundMe, which has since raised more than $22,000.
“My son, he was amazing, way better than I was,” his father, Ricky Reyes Sr., told CBS Sacramento, adding that his son was a master at making sandwiches.
“Beautiful soul, loving, caring, always giving.”
The future soldier was just eight days shy of his birthday when he was mowed down.
The motorist – who officers allege was under the influence – was taken to an area hospital with injuries following the deadly crash.
The sloshed suspect, whose identity has not been released, has since been arrested and remains hospitalized, police said.
Reyes’ death marks the 97th motor vehicle-related fatality in Sacramento County this year, Isaac Gonzalez, founder of Slow Down Sacramento, told the outlet.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” Gonzalez said.
“And the data is pretty eye-opening. It shows you that it’s a systemic problem across our county but also that there’s clusters, so there are specific areas where we are seeing multiple fatalities.”
City officials are reportedly investigating the deadly crash sites to determine if changes to the area could prevent future accidents.
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