ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — An Escondido family is grieving the loss of Luis Enrique Arias, 47, who was struck and killed by a vehicle at Centre City Parkway and near 9th Avenue.
His son, Luis Arias, learned of his father's death the day after the accident when he went to the police station to collect his belongings.
"I kept looking and looking and calling and calling him, no answer ... Then, when I went to pick up all his stuff from the police station, it was his stuff so that's when I knew he passed away," Luis said.
Luis remembered his father as someone who lit up every room — and every haircut chair.
"He didn't really mind about the haircut honestly but when I started recently, I got him better and better and better," Luis said.
Luis Enrique Arias was remembered by his family as charismatic and deeply connected to the people around him. His daughter, Maria Arias, described him as someone everyone knew and loved.
"Everyone knows him because of his child-like personality. He would always talk to everyone, uh, especially with kids, like to make them laugh, um, and swap me everyone knows him by his happy personality, happy soul," Maria said.
ABC 10News spoke to Escondido Police Lieutenant Craig Miller.
"When we got there, the investigation showed that that pedestrian had stepped out in front of that vehicle in an area that was very dark, so essentially he was in an area of the roadway that he should not have been in. You need to be visible. You need to cross at designated crosswalks and cross with the light," Miller said.
Miller said the incident is not isolated.
"I can't tell you that I think 14 of the last 16 fatal and serious pedestrian injuries that we've had were the result of pedestrians being in the roadway when they shouldn't have been," Miller said.
For Luis, the weight of the loss is still setting in.
"Now that I don't see him as much now or I'm probably never gonna see him again it's gonna be harder to think like he's gonna be gone," Luis said.
The Arias family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. Click here for more information.
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