THORNTON, Colo. — A family is grieving after police said their loved one was intentionally hit and killed by a driver in Thornton. The incident happened around 1:40 a.m. on Tuesday on West 84th Avenue near the Interstate 25 southbound on-ramp.
Family members identified the victim as 48-year-old Ruben Aguilar Vasquez. His daughter, Mariah Wallace, sat in his home on Thursday holding his photo.
"This is my dad, always happy," she said. "I don't really have much to say because this hurts. I don't feel like I should be having to do this but that's my dad always happy, always made the most of everything."
Wallace and Aguilar Vasquez's girlfriend, Denise Martinez, said they have not slept in days. The two are struggling knowing that he is not returning home.
"He was a huge part of me," Martinez said.
"My dad never told me what I wanted to hear. It's always what I needed to hear and now I can't get that from him. So he ripped out, that guy ripped out a big piece of my heart," Wallace added.
On July 23, Thornton Police were called to West 84th Avenue near the I-25 on-ramp. Police collected witness statements, some were conflicting but all of the witnesses said that Aguilar Vasquez was in a physical fight with another man. Police believe that the person was Mathew Lopez.
According to the arrest affidavit, after the fight Aguilar Vasquez walked away and Lopez got into his red SUV. The affidavit says Lopez began speeding, aiming his car at Aguilar Vasquez.
Court documents said Aguilar Vasquez was hit, dragged and died at the hospital.
"Why did that guy stop? Why did he have to pursue that if he wasn't looking for trouble or he wasn't doing something to Ruben? Why couldn't he have just kept driving? Why?" Martinez asked. She may never know those answers, all she does know is what the community lost.
"He used to drive around downtown to all the tent cities handing out water, food, blankets, anything he could give them," she said.
Martinez said Aguilar Vasquez would often check in on elderly friends, mow their lawns and spend time with them. She said he could be found at parks buying pizza or hamburgers for those experiencing homelessness.
"He had a very big heart and it's hard to hear this and to know that he's not going to be coming back because he didn't deserve what happened to him out there," she cried.
According to the arrest affidavit, Lopez told police that Aguilar Vasquez had hit him in the head with a chain lock during the altercation. Lopez told investigators he got into his car and was, "out of it" from the head injury and "may have passed out on the wheel." According to court documents, Lopez did not know if he hit Aguilar Vasquez with his car. Lopez is due back in court next week.
Friends of Aguilar Vasquez are raising funds to offset the costs of his funeral expenses.