BY KEVIN PEARSON
STAFF WRITER [email protected]
On Wednesday, the mother of critically injured Hemet High School crash victim Helen Richardson said she hoped that one day the driver of the truck that struck her daughter would take responsibility for his actions.
The next day, Daniel Carrillo may have done just that.
Carrillo, the 18-year-old Hemet High junior who struck eight of his classmates with his pickup as they were in a crosswalk on May 30, showed up Thursday, June 7, to a carwash in east Hemet organized to raise funds to support Richardson and her family. He made a donation and offered a sealed card for Helen, 15, and her family.
Trisha Telezinski, Helen’s mother, said she spoke to the carwash organizers who said Carrillo arrived midday and gave $100, which was among the $3,654 raised during the daylong event in the parking lot of Carl’s Jr. on Florida Avenue.
The event was another piece in an outpouring of community support for Helen and her family. An online donations page has raised roughly $9,000, bringing the donation total to more than $12,000.
“He went out there in front of his peers and did that,” Telezinski said of Carrillo. “He’s reaching out. I hope it’s genuine and from the heart. If it is, that’s a beautiful thing.”
Attempts to contact Carrillo were unsuccessful. No charges had been filed against him as of Thursday.
During an extensive inter- view on Wednesday, Telezinski said she harbored no anger toward Carrillo. She said the incident would forever change his life and she only wanted him to “man up and take responsibility” for his actions.
CHP officials have said that Carrillo, who had his driver’s license just 15 days at the time of the accident, was traveling more than 50 miles an hour and weaving through traffic when he ran a red light at Stetson Avenue and Bulldog Way, and hit the students.
Eight students were injured, but none more critically than Helen. She has been in a coma with a brain injury, but is showing signs of improvement. Thursday, she was moved out of the intensive care unit at Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley.
Organizers of the event said they were caught off guard when Carrillo showed up, but said they respected his efforts to reach out.
“He was careless, yes, but he will have to live with this for the rest of his life,” said parent Kristy Miller-Munoz, whose daughter, Ariana Munoz, helped organize the event.
“I have to give him credit. It takes a lot of class for him to come out like that. With everyone there, it took a lot of courage in my eyes.”
Diane Shubin was at the donation booth when Carrillo walked up and presented the card. Shubin said Carrillo, who was driven to the event, was nervous and shaking and said “I’m Daniel … I was driving the truck.”
Shubin said Carrillo even signed Helen’s yearbook at the urging of others who were there. She said the card and sealed envelope were fairly thick.
“As he explained he was the driver of the truck, it was like it hit him,” Shubin said. “It was like he had to admit it out loud.
“You could see in his heart that he felt bad. It almost looked like he wanted to break down, like he felt bad about it.”
Shubin said Carrillo was shaky and looked like he was going to pass out. Another parent in attendance gave him a hug. Other students watched but did not say much and Carrillo left a few minutes later.
“For him to do that honestly, in front of his peers, it means a lot,” Telezinski said. “He crashed in front of the whole school. What he did today by going to all those students, out in the open, it took some guts.”
Some motorists donated without getting their vehicles washed. Businesses came with checks and drivers frequently pulled out $20 for a carwash that even the dozens of students in attendance admitted wasn’t the best.
“I just wanted to help Helen and her family,” student Ariana Munoz said. “We wanted the community to get involved, but I didn’t think the turnout would be this great.”
Several of the students who spent the day washing and drying did not know Helen, but felt the need to get involved. Staff from Tahquitz High, including Principal Michael Roe, spent hours washing and drying cars.
Even an engine full of Riverside County firefighters stopped and donated.
“We had a lot happen this year at school, and every time I thought it was the right thing to do to be involved and help,” student Leah Snow said. “At school, you don’t see everyone all together like this. But to see the whole community come together, it’s like, wow, people really do care.”
The carwash was scheduled to run from 8-11 a.m. Nearly $2,000 had been collected by its scheduled end. It was extended through much of the day and brought in much more than organizers anticipated.
“It’s overwhelming and beyond reality,” Telezinski said of the donations and community support. “I don’t even know how to express the gratitude.
“It’s not so much the money, but the willingness of wanting to help and people reaching out. It’s beautiful, and it’s because of Helen and who she is.”
Follow Kevin Pearson on Twitter @pe_kevinpearson or online at blog. pe.com/Hemet
STAFF WRITER [email protected]
On Wednesday, the mother of critically injured Hemet High School crash victim Helen Richardson said she hoped that one day the driver of the truck that struck her daughter would take responsibility for his actions.
The next day, Daniel Carrillo may have done just that.
Carrillo, the 18-year-old Hemet High junior who struck eight of his classmates with his pickup as they were in a crosswalk on May 30, showed up Thursday, June 7, to a carwash in east Hemet organized to raise funds to support Richardson and her family. He made a donation and offered a sealed card for Helen, 15, and her family.
Trisha Telezinski, Helen’s mother, said she spoke to the carwash organizers who said Carrillo arrived midday and gave $100, which was among the $3,654 raised during the daylong event in the parking lot of Carl’s Jr. on Florida Avenue.
The event was another piece in an outpouring of community support for Helen and her family. An online donations page has raised roughly $9,000, bringing the donation total to more than $12,000.
“He went out there in front of his peers and did that,” Telezinski said of Carrillo. “He’s reaching out. I hope it’s genuine and from the heart. If it is, that’s a beautiful thing.”
Attempts to contact Carrillo were unsuccessful. No charges had been filed against him as of Thursday.
During an extensive inter- view on Wednesday, Telezinski said she harbored no anger toward Carrillo. She said the incident would forever change his life and she only wanted him to “man up and take responsibility” for his actions.
CHP officials have said that Carrillo, who had his driver’s license just 15 days at the time of the accident, was traveling more than 50 miles an hour and weaving through traffic when he ran a red light at Stetson Avenue and Bulldog Way, and hit the students.
Eight students were injured, but none more critically than Helen. She has been in a coma with a brain injury, but is showing signs of improvement. Thursday, she was moved out of the intensive care unit at Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley.
Organizers of the event said they were caught off guard when Carrillo showed up, but said they respected his efforts to reach out.
“He was careless, yes, but he will have to live with this for the rest of his life,” said parent Kristy Miller-Munoz, whose daughter, Ariana Munoz, helped organize the event.
“I have to give him credit. It takes a lot of class for him to come out like that. With everyone there, it took a lot of courage in my eyes.”
Diane Shubin was at the donation booth when Carrillo walked up and presented the card. Shubin said Carrillo, who was driven to the event, was nervous and shaking and said “I’m Daniel … I was driving the truck.”
Shubin said Carrillo even signed Helen’s yearbook at the urging of others who were there. She said the card and sealed envelope were fairly thick.
“As he explained he was the driver of the truck, it was like it hit him,” Shubin said. “It was like he had to admit it out loud.
“You could see in his heart that he felt bad. It almost looked like he wanted to break down, like he felt bad about it.”
Shubin said Carrillo was shaky and looked like he was going to pass out. Another parent in attendance gave him a hug. Other students watched but did not say much and Carrillo left a few minutes later.
“For him to do that honestly, in front of his peers, it means a lot,” Telezinski said. “He crashed in front of the whole school. What he did today by going to all those students, out in the open, it took some guts.”
Some motorists donated without getting their vehicles washed. Businesses came with checks and drivers frequently pulled out $20 for a carwash that even the dozens of students in attendance admitted wasn’t the best.
“I just wanted to help Helen and her family,” student Ariana Munoz said. “We wanted the community to get involved, but I didn’t think the turnout would be this great.”
Several of the students who spent the day washing and drying did not know Helen, but felt the need to get involved. Staff from Tahquitz High, including Principal Michael Roe, spent hours washing and drying cars.
Even an engine full of Riverside County firefighters stopped and donated.
“We had a lot happen this year at school, and every time I thought it was the right thing to do to be involved and help,” student Leah Snow said. “At school, you don’t see everyone all together like this. But to see the whole community come together, it’s like, wow, people really do care.”
The carwash was scheduled to run from 8-11 a.m. Nearly $2,000 had been collected by its scheduled end. It was extended through much of the day and brought in much more than organizers anticipated.
“It’s overwhelming and beyond reality,” Telezinski said of the donations and community support. “I don’t even know how to express the gratitude.
“It’s not so much the money, but the willingness of wanting to help and people reaching out. It’s beautiful, and it’s because of Helen and who she is.”
Follow Kevin Pearson on Twitter @pe_kevinpearson or online at blog. pe.com/Hemet
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