12-year-old boy dies in crash involving off-duty deputy, California cops say

Twelve-year-old Isaiah Suarez Rodriguez loved superhero movies, playing Animal Crossing and swimming with his family. He wanted to become a chef when he grew up.

But Isaiah died Nov. 3 when a pickup truck slammed into the car he was riding in with his 19-year-old sister in South Gate, California, KNBC reported.

The impact knocked the car back 75 feet, family members said on GoFundMe. His sister tried to slow Isaiah’s bleeding by wrapping a sweater around his head, but the boy later died of his injuries at a hospital.

South Gate police confirmed Thursday, Nov. 11, that an off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was driving the pickup truck that hit the siblings, KTLA reported.

The sheriff’s department confirmed the collision involved an off-duty deputy but declined to comment further while the investigation continues, according to the station.

A police news release on Facebook immediately after the crash said speed could’ve been a factor in the collision.

Workers at a nearby taco stand rushed to help Isaiah and his sister after the collision but couldn’t reach them in the mangled wreckage, KNBC reported.

“The doors were locked so they couldn’t open them,” Alex Lopez told the station. “We knocked on the window and they knocked back.”

The GoFundMe said Isaiah’s loss has been “devastating” for the family. “He had a soft voice, tender touch and contagious laugh. He was always the first one to help, especially those in need,” it read.

This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 12:10 PM with the headline "12-year-old boy dies in crash involving off-duty deputy, California cops say."