Raul Heredia, a 40-year-old Gilroyan, was killed Tuesday evening
after being hit by an SUV into an unidentified pickup truck in a
hit-and-run accident.
Raul Heredia, a 40-year-old Gilroyan, was killed Tuesday evening after being hit by an SUV into an unidentified pickup truck in a hit-and-run accident.
About 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, Heredia stopped his motorcycle at a stop sign near the corner of Watsonville Road and Redwood Retreat Road and an unidentified white Nissan pickup pulled up behind him, according to the California Highway Patrol. A 31-year-old Santa Cruz woman, traveling southbound on Watsonville Road in an SUV, made an unsafe turn, crossed over the solid double yellow lines and smashed the motorcycle head-on into the front of the pickup.
Heredia was pinned underneath the right side of his motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene by Santa Clara County Fire paramedics.
The accident ended a life that was devoted to proving that handicaps would not slow him down, brother Norman Heredia said.
“He lived a good life and always challenged the boundaries,” he said.
Raul Heredia, the youngest of eight kids, was born with a shorter wrist bone in his arm. As a result, he grew up trying to shake the stigma that he was at a disadvantage.
“By no means was he handicapped,” Norman Heredia said. “He always was trying to break that stereotype barrier. My brother could always hold his own.”
From an early age, Raul Heredia set out to prove to himself and others that he could do anything anyone else could do. He took up karate, skateboarding and bicycling and used to take long bike rides on the back roads of Santa Clara County. Later in life, he set the goal of learning to ride a motorcycle. After starting with a scooter, Raul Heredia recently got his motorcycle license.
“He proved everyone wrong,” Norman Heredia said.
Raul Heredia picked up hairdressing from his dad Frank Heredia, who owned a business in Gilroy. Raul Heredia eventually started his own business, Raul’s Hairdressing, which flourished with clients from Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, Norman Heredia said.
“He never went to college, but he still earned a six-figure income,” Norman Heredia said. “A lot of people knew him here, and he was well loved by many people.”
Raul Heredia had two kids – Julie, 19, and Gavin, 17.
California Highway Patrol officers said they did not suspect the incident was alcohol-related. Officers did not know how fast the woman who hit Raul Heredia was going in her silver 2005 Silver Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport SUV. However, the pickup left the scene of the accident before officers arrived.
Heredia rode a silver and black 2008 Honda Interceptor.
Watsonville and Redwood Retreat roads were partially obstructed for about two hours that night.
No arrests have been made as of Wednesday morning.
Anyone with information about the accident or the whereabouts of the pickup can call the Hollister-Gilroy CHP office at 848-2324.
