Tragedy in National City
Two men from National City lost their lives in a tragic car accident. The crash occurred on Friday night on Avenue D, when the driver lost control of the SUV and collided with two parked cars.
Victor Bacallao, 45, was a passenger on that fateful trip. His brother, Ernesto Molina, described him as "a genuine guy. You know, it was love in every sense." Bacallao leaves behind five children and was known for his big heart and love for his family.
Behind the wheel was his friend, Robert Casillas Jr., 34. His brother-in-law, Damian Cruz, remembered him as "that guy was fun. He was a goofball. Just a good guy." Casillas Jr. was also a father of two and was considered the life of the party, always able to bring a smile to those around him.
Molina and Cruz arrived at the accident scene on Saturday morning to see it for themselves. "I had to see the accident because I knew he was involved in it. I just wanted to understand what had happened," Cruz said.
The two men were just a block north of Bacallao's house when the crash occurred. Police told family members they were speeding and crashed into a Nissan Altima and a Toyota 4Runner just before 16th Street.
The two victims were inside a three-vehicle wreckage. Firefighters thought they were on a rescue, only to find out that as they got closer, this would be a recovery.
"He was flying, at a tremendous speed. Then, we heard it. It almost sounded like a loud gunshot, like a bang!" said witness Luis Q.
Q lives a few doors down from the accident site. With children of his own and two schools on his street, he is very concerned about the traffic on Avenue D. "I feel for the families. I pray for their families," Q said.
The National City police are still investigating, but have not blamed alcohol or drugs for the crash. The community is mourning the loss of these two men and their families face an uncertain future as they try to cope with this unexpected tragedy.
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