CERES, Calif. — A Ceres father's opportunity to reconnect with his daughter was taken away from him after police said a semi-truck killed him and drove away.
Family members identified the father as Michael Tucker. According to Ceres Police Department, he was hit and killed around 3:10 a.m. near East Hatch Road and Herndon Avenue. The suspect got out of the truck to check on Tucker but ultimately drove away.
"It makes me extremely angry. I would love to find the person and find out what was going through his head at the time. It's incomprehensible," said Donald Tucker, Michael's brother.
Donald said their mother and Michael's daughter, Cynthia Isabel, have been struggling the most since the tragedy.
"My niece is doing as well as can be expected. She had just had another baby... he didn't get to hold him, didn't get to do any of that, any of the stuff that grandpa's get to do," said Donald.
He said his brother enjoyed spending time with their mother, watching Discovery Channel and old series like Two and a Half men. But he was also known for always keeping himself busy with work outdoors or in the garage.
"He had some struggles that he was dealing with and had been dealing with, but he seemed to be turning things around within the last couple months. And then this tragedy happened," said Donald.
The family said Michael struggled with drug issues and mental health in his life, but he set himself on a better path for more than year. In a letter from Isabel, she said she and her father had just started getting to know one another.
"We were just starting to build a relationship with one another, and the person who did this took that away from us. When my mom would tell me about him. She would always say how funny, fun and full of life he was. That is the person my dad was, apart from his struggles throughout life," she said.
The family is calling on the driver to turn himself in to help them find peace.
"We want answers. We want to know why he did what he did and just to come clean. I mean, if it was a mistake, so be it. If it was in the dark, if it was in a dark area and he didn't see him, things happen. But we would still want to know why he got out of his vehicle, didn't stay for the ambulance or the police to show up and you know why he left," said Donald.
Anyone with information surrounding the case can contact Officer Aaron Pinon at 209-538-5678 or by email at aaron.pinon@ci.ceres.ca.us. The involved semi-truck is believed to red with a gray or silver box trailer.
Isabel's full comment on her father are available below:
My dad was a beautiful soul. He struggled all his life, and he has been bettering himself for over a year now. We were just starting to get to know each other, we were just starting to build a relationship with one another, and the person who did this took that away from us. When my mom would tell me about him, she would always say how funny, fun, and full of life he was. That is the person my dad was, apart from his struggles throughout life. My dads passing is just 6 days prior to the 2 year anniversary of my brother’s passing, and to know he went in such a traumatic way; it’s more than one family should have to endure. To the person who did this, I hope you hear this. I hope you find it in your heart to turn yourself in and bring peace to this family, especially since you couldn’t find it in your heart to help him in those moments.
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