Home / Disasters and Accidents / Good Samaritans Killed Helping Crash Victims on I-15
Good Samaritans Killed Helping Crash Victims on I-15
18 Jun
Summary
- Two individuals stopped to help victims of a crash on I-15.
- Both were killed by a car after stopping at the scene.
- The alleged DUI driver who caused the initial crash was arrested.
A tragic incident occurred on the 15 Freeway in San Diego County on June 11, claiming the lives of two individuals who stopped to help at a crash scene. Nereida Benitez, an emergency room nurse, and Gary Tillman, a U.S. Marine veteran, were killed around 4 a.m. after stopping to assist victims of an initial collision.
The initial crash was reportedly caused by an alleged DUI driver who rear-ended another vehicle. As Benitez and Tillman were trying to help those involved in the first accident, they were struck and killed by a passing car. First responders pronounced them dead at the scene.
Tillman, 54, was remembered as a dedicated Marine veteran and a devoted fan of the San Diego Padres. Benitez, 40, was a mother and avid hiker who had recently celebrated her anniversary. Her husband noted that her final act was one of kindness, something she would always do.
The alleged DUI driver, 21-year-old Jake Lopez Lawrence, was arrested for felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter. He has since been released on bail but is scheduled for arraignment. A memorial for Benitez is planned for Thursday in Murrieta, and a GoFundMe has been established for the Tillman family.
