Father and his dog killed in hit-and-run crash in Compton; authorities searching for driver
The victim's son said his father died instantly and the dog had to be put down the following morning.
COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A hit-and-run crash in Compton last week claimed the lives of a father and his dog. Now, his family is hoping the public will help authorities track down the driver responsible.
It happened just before 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, near E McMillan and E Pine streets.
Alejandro Gomez told Eyewitness News his father, Jaime Gomez, was struck by a driver while he was walking his dog Hammer.
Alejandro runs a tobacco shop in the area and said his father was hit on his way back to the store. They were just a few steps away from the sidewalk, he said.
His father died instantly and the dog had to be put down the following morning.
"I'm just broken," Alejandro said. "There's no way to really put it. I want justice. I want something to be done. I want to see effort being put forth."
Alejandro said he opened his tobacco shop about a year and a half ago and his dad would help him run the store.
"Honestly, this store right here is one of the most important memories of him," he said. "He really loved this store. He loved being here. I would tell him to go home and rest and he'd be like, 'For what? Just kick it right here.'"
Alejandro's aunt, Carmen Gomez, said everyone knew how much Jaime lived for his son.
"Everything was him," she said. "Too much love ... this is so sad."
While justice is a top priority, Jaime's family is also calling for more surveillance cameras around the area and a push for safer streets.
"There is a blind corner that ... there's even some trees, like this big palm tree on this side, there's a smaller palm tree on that side, that when I've crossed the street, I always make sure to cross on the crosswalk because you can't see coming from over there," said Alejandro.
As the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate the crash, Alejandro said he'll continue to strive for excellence.
He said it's what his father would've wanted.
"This store, it's his legacy, so I really want to make sure that we succeed," he said.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe has been created to help the Gomez family.
