Jemmy Chavarria, his wife Angelica, and their two-year-old son were on their way to church in South Los Angeles at the end of February when a driver failed to stop while the family of three was crossing the road.
Jemmy’s final act, pushing his wife and infant son out of harm’s way, saved his family’s lives. Unfortunately, he was struck by the vehicle and pronounced dead at the hospital.
Now, as his son struggles to understand where his father is, police are on the lookout for the suspect.
The fatal hit and run occurred February 26 around 7:15 p.m. while the family crossed 84th Street and Hoover Street “in a marked crosswalk guided by a crossing guard,” according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.
While traffic was stopped in both directions, a vehicle “driving at a high rate of speed” drove around the stopped cars. The vehicle was headed towards the family of three who were in the middle of crossing the street.
Jemmy pushed his wife and son out of the vehicle’s path.
“In his true last moments, an amazing act of heroism,” LAPD Detective Ryan Moreno said, according to KETK. “He actually had the presence of mind to actually shove his wife out of harm’s way as best he could and … get his son out of the way by tossing him back over towards the sidewalk area.”
Jemmy was transported to a nearby hospital where he died.
“It hurts so much. I miss him so much,” Angelica said during a news conference, according to the Los Angeles Times. “My 2-year-old asks for his daddy, and I don’t know what to say to him. You took his daddy away from him.”
A $50,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that leads police to the hit and run driver.
Although the driver committed an awful crime, Angelica said she’s forgiven the person “with all my heart.” However, “you have to pay for what you did,” she added.
Police are looking for the driver of a four-door sedan that is a “gold, pewter-type color.” The right front hubcap was missing at the time of the collision.
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