Son’s heartbreaking message to San Francisco driver who killed 80-year-old father
Family of 80-year-old killed in SF hit-and-run pleads for driver to come forward
The family of an 80-year-man killed by a hit-and-run driver in San Francisco's Outer Mission said Thursday that they want justice but also want to forgive the suspect who is still at large.
SAN FRANCISCO - The family of an 80-year-old man killed in a hit-and-run crash in San Francisco’s Outer Mission neighborhood said Thursday they want justice but also offered forgiveness to the driver, who remains at large.
"If I had one message to the driver, it is to turn yourself in," said Roberto Alvarez Jr., the victim’s son. "Don’t carry this on your conscience. Yes, I want justice for what happened, but I want to face him — and I want to forgive him."
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Crash caught on video
What we know:
Dashcam video shows Roberto Alvarez Sr. walking across Naglee Avenue at Mission Street at about 6 p.m. on Dec. 17.
As he began crossing Mission Street, a car speeding along the busy roadway struck him just as the traffic light turned red. Surveillance video shows how fast the vehicle was traveling both before and after the impact.
Alvarez died at the scene.
San Francisco police said the driver has not yet been identified.
Remembering a husband and father
What they're saying:
Laura Alvarez said she lost her husband of 48 years.
"I know nothing will [bring] my husband back," she said. She added that someone needs to be held responsible for her husband’s death.
She described her husband as an accomplished mariachi singer who retired as a custodian with Chevron.
Their daughter, Marta Alvarez, said the loss cuts deep.
"There’s a heavy feeling in my heart," she said. "There are days when I try to be strong, but it’s definitely taken a toll on the whole family."
A growing safety concern
Local perspective:
Alvarez was the 16th pedestrian and the 12th senior citizen to die in San Francisco this year, according to city data.
"This is not OK," said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk SF. "When our most vulnerable — like our seniors, like our children — cannot safely cross the street, there’s more to do."
A call for accountability — and grace
For Alvarez’s namesake son, accountability is only part of what he is seeking.
"I’m a Christian, and I believe in forgiveness," Alvarez Jr. said. "That’s one of the values that my dad instilled in me, is to forgive others for their wrongs."
The Source: Information for this report comes from interviews with relatives of Roberta Alvarez and Jodie Medeiros of Walk SF.