Bicyclist’s family remembers father involved in fatal hit-and-run

The family of the 77-year-old man from Somerton who police said was fatally struck by an alleged drunk driver is honoring their father.

The cyclist, Jose Vasquez-Rodriguez, leaves behind five kids and will be remembered by the biking community in Yuma County.

Biking was Vasquez-Rodriguez’s passion and it fulfilled him, according to his son, Julio Cesar Vasquez.

Vasquez said this is especially after having defeated throat cancer because doctors told him he would not be able to exercise again.

But Vasquez managed to prove them wrong and was able to hit the road on his bike.

No one ever thought that after going through the fight of his life, he would ultimately die at the hands of an alleged drunk driver.

Vasquez remembered the final time he spoke to his father.

” We had agreed we were going to see each other on Saturday, but that never happened. We got the news in the morning. That’s when they told me my old man was gone, ” said Vasquez.

As for the suspect, 22-year-old Rafael Nunez, was formally charged Tuesday morning in court with manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

He is being held on a $50,000 cash only bond and will be back in court next week.