Vigil held for boy, 7, fatally struck by pickup truck while walking with father in Long Beach crosswalk

A vigil was held Wednesday night for a boy hit and killed by a car in Long Beach. A Desert Hot Springs man was arrested in connection with the crash. 

He did not deserve this. He was such a great kid," said the boy's father Francisco Garate.

The crash happened at about 5:20 p.m. at the intersection of Lakewood Boulevard and 23rd Street in Long Beach. Officers arrived to find the Gabriel Garate in the roadway suffering from critical injuries and called in Long Beach Fire, which pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation into the crash determined a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup truck was driving westbound on 23rd Street and making a left turn to southbound Lakewood Boulevard. The father and son were crossing Lakewood Boulevard eastbound on 23rd Street, in a marked crosswalk with the right-of-way pedestrian signal, when the pickup truck hit them, according to Long Beach police.

"He was even pushing the button and I was like 'Wait until it turns green,'" said Francisco. "We started walking, the guy guns it, makes a left on a green, ignores everybody else and runs over my son."

The victim was identified as Gabriel Garate. 

The driver "failed to yield to them in the marked south crosswalk," police said in a statement.

"People just gun it through here all the time," said Dawn Garate, the boy's mother.

The truck's driver was identified as 57-year-old James Barnes. Police say Barnes remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. Alcohol, drugs, and distracted driving were not believed to be a factor in the fatal crash, according to police.

"He wasn't paying attention. He didn't stop," Francisco said.

Barnes was arrested on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and has since been freed after posting $50,000 bail.

"Pay attention because you take a life — you can take an innocent life," said Dawn. 

Anyone with more information about this crash can contact Long Beach police detectives Joseph Johnson or Kevin Johansen at (562) 570-7355.