Gabriel Garate: A 7-year-old Long Beach kid died after being struck by a pickup truck as he crossed the street
James Barnes, the pickup’s driver, was later arrested by police on suspicion of felony vehicular homicide with gross negligence.
On Tuesday evening, July 26, a 7-year-old child was crossing the street with his father when he was fatally injured in a terrible accident in Long Beach, California. Around three o’clock, Gabriel Garate’s aunt picked him up from school. They then proceeded to Holé Molé, a restaurant, where he ordered tacos, one of his favorite meals.
His family claims that his aunt dropped him off at his father’s Long Beach residence a few hours later. Gabriel was excited to practice at Stearns Champions Park, so he and his father, Francisco Garate, left the house to cross a few blocks to the baseball field.
Gabriel was crossing Lakewood Boulevard at roughly 5:22 p.m. when a 2005 Dodge pickup truck’s driver made a left turn without using his turn signal, according to investigators. Gabriel died on the sidewalk with his baseball gear nearby. Francisco stated on July 27th “I was only able to tell him, “My baby, my baby,” while holding him in my arms. He served as my little pal. We collaborated on everything.” The father and the child were in the crosswalk when the tragedy happened, according to the police, and they had the pedestrian right-of-way signal.
Police then seized James Barnes, 57, the pickup truck’s driver, on suspicion of felony automotive homicide with gross negligence. Barnes, who is free on a $50,000 bail, refuses to respond to questions from the Long Beach Post. The tragedy struck as they gathered at a roadside memorial, and Gabriel’s family claimed they are still absorbing it. “The light was green. Everything we were doing was correct. It ought to never have happened, “Francisco continued to speak.
Gabriel Garate: Who was he?
On March 13, 2015, Gabriel was born in Torrance, Louisiana. He lived in Long Beach with his father and attended Bixby Elementary School. In the fall, he was supposed to begin the second grade there. Gabriel was a remarkable young man, according to his father Francisco. He described him as intelligent but with a silly personality. As he grew, Gabriel’s hobbies changed. He knew he wanted to play baseball by the time he was 7 years old, but he also wanted to be a video game creator. His family claims that he spent a lot of time with his father playing video games like Dark Souls, Fortnite, and Minecraft. Apparently, Francisco “I’m so good, Dad, he would say. I finished Dark Souls when I was seven years old, and when I’m an adult, I’m going to be a gaming god.”
His aunt Jennifer Engel claimed that Gabriel wasn’t like other kids his age. She stated that he frequently spoke about issues that were difficult for a young kid to understand. Engel remarked, “He was simply such a joyful kid. Since the crash, locals have been expressing their sorrow at a temporary monument erected on a sidewalk adjacent to the scene. On Wednesday afternoon, more than 20 members of Gabriel’s family and friends gathered there for a tribute. They cried, hugged one another, and sung hymns in praise of him.
Gabriel’s grandma repeatedly shouted out in Spanish, “Ay mi bebe, ay mi bebe,” while crying. She cried out, “Solo lo quiero agarrar,” meaning she only wanted to grab him. The funeral expenses will be covered through a GoFundMe campaign started by Gabriel’s relatives. As of July 30, it had raised $27,695 as opposed to the $20,000 target.