Jesus Castillo

Jesus Castillo was killed by a drunk driver on the night of April 19, 2009.

From The Eastsider: According to ABC7 witnesses
tried to help Jesus as he was
pinned between a parked car and the vehicle that struck him. The
driver, who had been seen swerving on the road, fled the scene but was
arrested a few hours later in Panorama City. He was identified as
22-year-old Alejandro Hildago.

A ghost bike was installed in his memory a week later. On the April 2009 critical mass, 100's of riders staged a die-in in front of his ghostbike.

You can watch a video of the event here.

From CityWatch

Jesus Castillo moved from Sonora, Mexico to Echo Park in search of the
American Dream. He was 44. He didn't own a car. In fact he didn't have
a drivers license. He simply rode his bike everywhere.

He lived
in Echo Park and he was a day laborer, taking work when he could and
where he could. Through it all, he rode his bike everywhere.

A
week ago, late at night, he was riding south on Glendale Boulevard when
he was hit from behind by a motorist who, according to witnesses, was
swerving. He was killed just under the Sunset crossing of Glendale
Boulevard. The police arrested the motorist within hours and charged
him with vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving. The motorist had a
suspended license and was driving the car belonging to his mother.

The
parents of Jesus Castillo are in town, having traveled from Sonora to
visit the spot where there son was run down from behind and left to die
in the streets by a drunk driver.

Cyclists responded to the news with shock and with outrage and with hard questions.