Vigil Held For Grandmother Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver In San Bernardino
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) – A vigil was held Friday night for the grandmother who was killed by a hit-and-run driver in San Bernardino.
Guadalupe Lizzaraga, 82, was crossing 9th Street in a crosswalk near L Street on Thursday around 5 p.m., when a white newer-style sedan ran her down. The driver never stopped.
The San Bernardino Police Department released a security-camera video showing the suspect's vehicle leaving the scene, followed by a red car and dark-colored SUV. They want to talk to the drivers of those two vehicles. They were possibly witnesses, police said.
The victim's daughter, Brenda Lungstrum, said her mom had dementia, but it didn't stop her from walking three times a day to a relative's home just a few blocks away in San Bernardino.
"Every day she would walk to my sister's house. Twice or maybe three times a day," said Lungstrum.
"Being here without her is surreal right now," cried granddaughter Arlene Lizzaraga. "It's just like a dream. It was the hardest thing to find your grandma like that."
Grandson Jason Ortiz said: "It wasn't her time. She wasn't sick. She was a very strong woman."
The victim's daughter-in-law, Martha Lizarraga, cried "She didn't deserve to die like this. I always thought that if she would pass away, maybe she would pass away like in her sleep."
Family members said they missed Lizzaraga's eccentric personality, like how she cut the lawn with scissors and never owned a mower.
The victim was known for her kindness. "This apple tree that we have here, normally, what she would do is she would cut the apples, and she would place them on the side in a basket and just leave them for homeless people," said Lungstrum.
The victim left behind five children and 23 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"I just hope that the person that took her comes forward because he took the rock from our family," said the victim's granddaughter.
"Because there is someone out there that saw this person who did it. Don't be a coward. Please do it for us, for the family, so we can put this to rest," said Lungstrum.
Anyone who has seen or know anything about the accident is asked to call the San Bernardino Police Department.