Kauai man killed in Calif. crash was ‘kind and gentle soul’
COURTESY RILEY FAMILY
Lucas Makana Riley was planning to marry his fiance, Shawna Wickwire, on Oct. 10.
COURTESY RILEY FAMILY
Lucas Makana Riley was killed over the weekend by an alleged drunken driver in San Diego.
COURTESY RILEY FAMILY
Lucas Makana Riley was killed over the weekend by an alleged drunken driver in San Diego.
Lucas Makana Riley — a 24-year-old Kauai native, ministry volunteer, and artist — was killed over the weekend by an alleged drunken driver in San Diego.
A fire erupted after the crash, engulfing Riley’s Mini Cooper and burning him beyond recognition about 7 p.m. Saturday, according to his family.
Riley’s mother, Tami, of Kalaheo, said she was devastated by the crash, but hoped to bring attention to the problem of drunk driving.
She said her youngest child “could change the atmosphere in a room by him coming in with his smile.
“He just always wanted to make people laugh,” she said by phone from Arizona, where she was visiting her daughter.
Riley was driving on State Route 67 when an oncoming pickup crossed the center line and hit a Buick sedan, then smashed head-on into Riley’s car, channel 7 in San Diego reported. Riley died at the scene.
The Buick driver sustained minor injuries, and the driver of the truck, a 51-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with a broken wrist.
The driver of the truck was arrested on alcohol-related charges and vehicular manslaughter, the TV station reported. Officials said they found beer cans inside the truck.
Riley, a 2010 Kauai High School graduate, left the islands to attend Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and graduated last year with an art education degree. He was planning to marry his fiance, Shawna Wickwire, on Oct. 10.
Lucas was working as a full-time volunteer with a local ministry, City of Refuge San Diego, helping to feed the homeless and talking with drug addicts trying to recover.
“He always loved people no matter what you looked like, who you hung out with,” his older sister, Lauren, said. “Since he was little he was the one who would always befriend someone who didn’t have any friends or who was alone.”
She added that he was a strong believer in the Christian faith.
Recently, Riley worked on a permanent public art piece commissioned by San Diego that is on display and won “best in show” for an art project at Point Loma his senior year.
The school said in a statement that Riley was a talented sculptor and the chief assistant to PLNU art professor David Adey in the public art piece.
In the statement, Adey said Riley was a hardworking, “kind and gentle soul who will be greatly missed.”
Riley’s mother said the family was receiving an outpouring of support from friends around the world and especially from Kalaheo Elementary School, where she works as a health aid.
Riley was also athletic and played varsity soccer and volleyball in high school. But his passion was helping children and volunteering, having grown up traveling with his parents who are part-time missionaries.
“He was the one that really made it part of his lifestyle,” his mother said.
Besides his mother and sister, Riley is survived by his brother Cory and father Mark.
Services are pending in San Diego and on Kauai.
15 responses to “Kauai man killed in Calif. crash was ‘kind and gentle soul’”
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May God Bless. Condolences to his family and friends. My prayers.
God be with his soul. Such a good and decent man. Hawaii and the world have lost.
People need to discipline themselves that they should not get behind the wheel after drinking alcoholic beverages. They need to get a designated driver. When intoxicated, people are not driving and seeing where they are going but are actually just aiming the car hoping to stay on the road. Eventually the drunk driver is going to hit something or someone. People need to stop taking chances so that these tragedies can be avoided.
When people drink they feel invincible .
The greatest and most common American tragedy. Killed by a drunk high on alcohol. Hypocrite politicians wave the flag for gun control and continue to sip their drinks. Deepest sympathy to the Riley family. Insanity continues…..
This young man was filled with so much promise. Condolences to his ohana.
My deepest ALOHA to his ohana.
You’re absolutely right Mori. The same insane incidents keep happening year after year, that of accidents or homicides caused by drunk drivers. Things don’t change as long as the drunken driver, at worst, gets off after a few years in jail. Stricter penalties, higher liability requirements, and tough judges are required.
Cars are the biggest killers of humans. True or false.
False! Disease and sickness are!
Sincere condolences to the family. “A strong believer of the Christian faith” what a great tribute of a man gone home to his Christian God.
So sad. Condolences to the Riley family.
My condolences to the family and friends.
My son was born in 1992 as well, and I couldn’t imagine he passing before me.
So unfair. As with so many times, the drunk driver lives with barely a scratch.
RIP,Lucas
What a terrible loss. My heart goes out to this dear man’s family. How sad.
Maybe Hawaii should follow Japanese DUI laws. Japanese drinking laws are known to be stricter than those in the U.S. In Japan, driving with a blood alcohol content level of .03% will result in an automatic DUI offense, which is often the result of consuming only one drink.
If a driver is pulled over by the Japanese Police while operating a motor vehicle and signs of intoxication are observed or an odor of an alcoholic beverage is emitting from the driver, that person and all passengers can be charged with alcohol-related offenses under Japanese law.
No matter the outcome of a DUI, the penalty is always heavy. Japanese authorities can detain offenders for days, months or even years depending on the violation.
Also, rather than risk a possible DUI, most Japanese use taxi or train service to go home. Also, having a DUI can be reason enough to be dismissed from your job.