POWAY, Calif. -- A man missing for several days was found dead in a mangled car, hundreds of feet down an embankment alongside a rural north San Diego County road Tuesday.
The discovery next to Scripps Poway Parkway, near Danielson Street in southern Poway, was reported shortly before noon, sheriff's Lt. Jim Walker said. Preliminary evidence suggested that the vehicle crashed off the roadway at least a day ago, the lieutenant said.
Twenty-five-year-old Aaron Mahaffey vanished after dropping a friend off late Friday night, according to his mother Veronica Mahaffey. She believes treacherous, winding roads of Scripps Poway Parkway killed her son.
"I always hated these roads up here, hated it," Mahaffey told 10News Tuesday. "He was a great, great kid. Loved by his family like no other."
His family knew something was wrong when he didn't show up to work Saturday morning. Veronica's worst fears were confirmed after seeing a picture of Aaron's car at the bottom of a ravine Tuesday.
"He just got a new car, and I'm sure he thought it was fun to race it down that road at 3 o'clock in the morning, right?"
She wants Aaron remembered as adventurous, loyal and loving.
"Aaron was a warm individual. He loved everybody. And he loved his buddies and his football buddies just more than anything."
Out of all the things they'll miss about Aaron, she says she'll miss two things the most.
"His hugs," she said. "'I love you, mom, love you, mom.' His hugs."
Authorities have not officially released the identity of the driver.
