A family in San Bernardino County is saddened by the death of their 21-year-old son, a father of two young children, who was hit by not one, but two cars in a fatal hit-and-run accident.
The terrible Nov. 30 incident occurred just after 5:30 p.m. on 8th Street east of San Antonio Avenue in Upland, according to a Upland Police Department social media post.
Michael Yanez was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to authorities.
Christina Yanez, the 21-year-old’s mother, told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson that in his final moments, a good Samaritan from the neighborhood came and stayed with him in the street while first responders arrived.
“He went to my son, and my son was still alive when he talked to him,” Christina recalled, attempting to fight back tears. “He was just telling him that help was on its way, that he had already phoned the police, and that he had just begun praying with my kid. But he said that by the time the cops arrived, he had already perished.
Christina also stated that one of the vehicles came to a halt after colliding with Michael, disembarked the vehicle, and inquired of the Good Samaritan if the body was dead.
“He said, ‘Yes, it’s a body,’ and he still left,” she told me.
Michael and his high school sweetheart, Berneice Aguilar, have two children: a one-year-old daughter Aliyah, and a newborn son, Jeremiah. The young family was just beginning their lives together.
“He was a good dad,” Aguilar told KTLA. “He helped me a lot. He was present for me during both of my C-sections. I fell in love with him all over again because he was truly present for me.” Aguilar and Christina claim they can’t picture their lives without Michael or their children’s lives without their father.
“We just feel like he’s going to walk through that door,” his mother explained. “I don’t feel like it’s real.”
Michael was characterized by family members as a devoted parent and a driven individual. He had always sought more for people around him and was determined to provide a home for his new family.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to help cover the costs of Michael’s funeral.
Upland detectives are investigating the hit-and-run, and while no arrests have been reported, authorities say additional information will be released on Thursday.