A 14-year-old Lake Forest teen died after a hit-and-run accident that occurred while attempting a popular but dangerous maneuver called “trunk riding.” Originally thought to have been hurt during a skateboarding accident, authorities discovered that Nestor Barrientos-Macias was actually one of three young boys who decided to ride in the open trunk of a car.  During the ride, Barrientos-Macias fell from the moving vehicle and hit his head.

The vehicle belonged to a 17-year-old driver who picked the kids up from the La Tierra School Parking Lot the afternoon of June 13th.  911 was called and paramedics rushed to the scene to find the 14-year-old victim unconscious but breathing.  Nestor Barrientos-Macias succumbed to his injuries three days later and died.  At first, authorities originally believed the child had died during a skateboarding incident, but a tip from a 5-year-old witness lead to the arrest of  a teen driver, who was booked on felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter charges.

The saddest thing about this case is that so many young people were involved and the incident could have been much worse. Clearly the driver was at fault and the parents of the deceased boy will have the ability to seek legal remedy in court for the hit-and run charge. They will also be able to file a wrongful death suit on behalf of their son.  If you or someone you know has found themselves in a similar situation you have the same rights as well.  No child’s death should go unpunished, especially if his of her life was taken with reckless disregard for safety and good judgment.  Contact us today for a free case evaluation and we will ensure that you loved one receives the justice the situation demands.