WASCO, Calif. (KERO) — Denise Morales says the scars left by her husband's death are beginning to heal — but not completely, not yet.
Mark Morales died after being struck by a car while checking the mail near the corner of his property. According to Denise, he had just returned from the grocery store when the crash occurred. He died in the hospital a few days later.
"When I left that day, I gave him a big hug and a big kiss, and I remember even he hugged me so tight, pops my back every time, every now and then, and we said, I love you," Denise said.
The loss has left a lasting mark on the family. Mark was not there to witness milestones his son went on to achieve.
"He missed his only son graduating from college, getting married, taking a position, and following in mine and his dad's footsteps, becoming an ag teacher, and my husband missed all that because someone took him away," Denise said.
According to court records, suspect Sostenes Ramirez ran a stop sign near the Morales home, causing the crash, before leaving the scene and attempting to report his vehicle as stolen. Law enforcement placed Ramirez at the scene using cellphone data. Ramirez is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and is currently out on bail.
More than two and a half years after Mark's death, Denise says the family cannot fully heal without closure.
"The hope is that justice is served and people are made to be responsible for causing a man's death, a man that was doing, living his life and checking the mail, something as simple as that, and his life was taken away because someone was careless, and I want to see justice done," Denise said.
Ramirez is slated to return to court on June 26th.
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