BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — What was a night of grieving and remembrance of 8-year-old Xxavien Hernandez turned into a sobering reality, as a man suspected of being under the influence, crashed into two parked cars less than half a block away where the vigil was being held.
“It’s really hard that we’re out here for this reason but to see everyone come together in support for my baby Xxavien and our family it’s truly amazing,” said Stephanie Soerjono, Xxavien’s mother.
Xxavien was hit and killed just two weeks ago while he was having lunch with his father in a gated lot off California Avenue near Haley Street in east Bakersfield.
The driver was Andres Serna, 33, who was allegedly drunk when he crashed through a fence and into the lot where Xxavien and his dad were eating at a taco truck.
Court documents say Serna had a blood alcohol content level four times the legal limit and had at least two prior DUIs in Kern County.
“The person who hit my son, had two prior convictions and had been arrested prior to that for drunk driving. He was let out on bail in May and had he not been let out on bail, my son might be alive right now,” said Soerjono.
On Sunday, the community and Xxavien’s family gathered at the sight of the crash to hold a vigil in his honor. Mourners laid dozens of pictures of Xxavien on the sidewalk and released red and blue balloons — the colors of Xxavien’s favorite superhero, Spiderman.
After the vigil concluded, police say, 29-year-old Salvador Rodriguez was driving northbound on Haley Street in a white SUV and sideswiped and rear-ended two vehicles parked along the east curbline of Haley Street, the first car the SUV hit was literally parked right next to the parking lot young Xxavien was killed.
Mourners surrounded the man as police arrived, yelling. He was injured in the crash and taken to Kern Medical for treatment. He was arrested for misdemeanor DUI charges — he has not been booked into jail yet.