GALVESTON, Texas – Justice and accountability — that’s what the family of 77-year-old Fidel Estrada, a grandfather from Galveston, is demanding.
Estrada was the victim of a hit-and-run crash over the weekend. His family is heartbroken and wants to know who left him to die.
For 10 years, Estrada rode down the same street on his way to work. On Sunday morning, that ride ended near the intersection of 53rd Street and Avenue R, where family and friends have set up a makeshift memorial.
That small spot means the world to Estrada’s family. It’s where his son feels closest to him.
“He was a really good person, and that’s why everyone loved him,” Jose said. When asked if he was proud of his father, he replied, “Yes, very proud.”
Jose is struggling to accept what happened to his father. The thought that someone left him to die is almost too much to bear.
“That person should have stopped and helped. If they had, he might still be here,” Jose said.
The impact of Estrada’s loss reaches beyond his family. His work family at the restaurant where he worked, The Spot, is feeling it too.
“We call him Papi Fidel. Papi Fidel was a wonderful man. I worked here for four years, and he taught me a lot — how to properly bust tables, how to greet customers. We spoke different languages, but he was always kind,” a Billy Sapp said.
The man they affectionately called Papi Fidel was killed when he was hit by what Galveston police say is a white or silver pickup truck, believed to be a Ford with a ladder in the bed.
Estrada’s co-workers hold on to good memories.
When asked about his last conversation with Estrada, Sharon Alaniz said, “He just wanted something to eat. He wanted some French fries. That’s what he asked me. ‘Can you please give me some fries?’ And I did.”
Estrada’s family is asking everyone in the area of 53rd and Avenue R to check their security cameras for any information.
As for the driver responsible, the family had a message: “In this life, sooner or later you’ll have to pay the price.”
Fidel’s family is urging anyone with information about the driver or the pickup truck to come forward.
If you have information, please call Galveston Police Department or Galveston County Crime Stoppers at 409-763-8477.