GILROY—With the driver accused of killing a Gilroy father of five on Easter Sunday behind bars and charged with murder, the victim’s coworkers are raising money to help pay $8,000 in funeral expenses.
Nearly $6,000 was collected by Friday afternoon for services for Alberto Sanchez, 37, who leaves behind a widow and five young children, according to Cindy Hamilton, his employer of 14 years.
Hamilton is president of Morgan Hill-based New Directions Sign Service, where Sanchez worked as production lead.
“We keep having moments of tears in our office,” Hamilton said. “We’ve lost a member of our family, and I know his family lost a husband and a father.”
Just before 6:50 p.m. April 5, Sanchez was standing to the rear of his parked car along Tennant Avenue when a pickup truck smashed into him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The truck’s driver, Edgar Benitez Martinez of Morgan Hill, continued down Tennant Avenue towards his home, according to a statement from the Morgan Hill Police Department. An off-duty MHPD officer witnessed the collision, followed Martinez and arrested him for driving under the influence, according to the MHPD.
Martinez has been charged with murder and additional charges are under consideration, Steve Lowney, supervising district attorney with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, said Friday.
In the wake of Sanchez’s death, Hamilton offered to help with the funeral and created an online fundraiser. A funeral mass will take place at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Gilroy and burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, according to Steve Habing, of the Habing Family Funeral Home.
Hamilton described the Gilroy father and husband as a humble person, dedicated to his family and job.
“I admired him because he took care of everyone else first,” she said. “He loved his family. He had his kids in soccer and as tired as he was from work, he had a smile on his face when took them to their games.”
Sanchez’s sudden loss has hit his coworkers hard, and his family even harder, Hamilton said.
But the outpouring of support has left the family touched, she added.
Complete strangers have come into the Morgan Hill-based business, presenting Sanchez’s coworkers with flowers, money or other donations to help offset the unexpected funeral costs.
“The kindness of the people, some who we don’t even know; it brings tears to our eyes every time,” she said.
• Call the Habing Family Funeral home at (408) 847-4040 to make a donation in Sanchez’s name over the phone, or visit 129 Fourth St. in Gilroy to donate in-person.
• Make an online donation via GoFundMe by clicking here.
