SAN DIEGO — A family is reeling and about to lose their house after a father of 4 is hit and killed when he broke down on Interstate 15.
It was 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 18 when Delfino Gonzalez called his wife to tell her he ran out of gas on the side of Interstate 15, heading to Escondido from San Diego.
Gonzalez worked late nights as an audio technician around town. He told his wife not to worry, he was going to walk to the nearest exit in Mira Mesa to get gas. Thirty minutes later, CHP called his wife and said Delfino had been hit and killed walking on the highway.
Officers arrested 23-year-old Cyrus Peterson on suspicion of DUI.
Tabitha Jesus is Delfino’s sister-in-law. She’s known him since she was 10 years old. Her sister was married to Delfino for 16 years. They have 4 children ages 4-15.
“They were already struggling before this hit. My sister is trying to figure out what she's going to do, how she's going to take care of her kids,” said Tabitha. “Her husband was the sole provider for their family.”
Tabitha chokes back tears as she talks about her brother-in-law. She’s married to Delfino’s brother.
Two sisters married two brothers. The families are close.
“Delfino was one of the greatest people I ever met. He's loving, caring, generous, and sweet,” said Tabitha.
Tabitha says Delfino worked day and night to provide for his family. By day, he worked as a landscaper, but she says his work has suffered in the current economic climate.
By night, he worked as a sound technician for musicians and bands around town.
“He would work until 3 in the morning and then get up at 7 o'clock to go work landscaping jobs. He was trying to work hard,” said Tabitha.
It was on his way home from work early one morning that he was hit and killed. Tabitha says, “They were behind on rent, and it was not unusual for him to be driving on empty and that's why they didn't have gas.”
CHP’s preliminary investigation shows Delfino may have been walking within the highway lanes.
Tabitha doesn’t believe it. She says investigators told her family the only person who witnessed the crash, was the driver arrested for DUI.
CHP says it is continuing to investigate.
Tabitha says her 4-year-old niece, is starting to understand that her dad is not coming home.
“Mommy, Daddy is in heaven. I can’t see him anymore,” said the 4-year-old.
And now the family is in danger of getting evicted from their home. They’ve lost their devoted father, and the man accused of killing him faces a DUI.
“An amazing brother, a great father, a loved son. He was a really good person and we’re really going to miss him,” said Tabitha.
To donate to Delfino's families GoFundMe, visit here.
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