SAN ANTONIO – A 19-year-old man who was killed in a collision on San Antonio’s West Side Thursday night died exactly one year to the day that his best friend lost his life, according to his mother.
Jose Moreno-Pesina was riding on a motorcycle in the 1000 block of Bandera Road around 8:15 p.m. when it collided with a pickup.
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A report from San Antonio police stated that Luis Perez Jr., 54, (pictured) was behind the wheel of the truck and pulled out from a bar parking lot into the path of the motorcycle.
Moreno-Pesina died later at a hospital. Police arrested Perez on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
The victim’s family was still trying to make sense of his death Friday morning. His mother described him as a good man who always had a ready smile, the third born of her four children.
“(He was) very kindhearted,” said Nancy Moreno. "He was very good. I'm very proud of him that he pushed himself to graduate at the age he did."
Moreno said her son, who excelled in sports from the time he was a young child, also finished high school early at the age of 17. She said he attended St. Phillips College briefly before leaving to work as a barber. Recently, she said, he had decided to go back to school.
She said at the time of the crash, Moreno-Pesina was on his way home, leaving a candlelight vigil for his best friend who died, coincidentally, one year ago to the day. Gabriel “Blue” Riojas was killed in a shooting Sept. 22, 2015.
"Only God knows why things happen. And all I can say is they wanted to be together," Moreno said.
The separation from his family, though, is what hurts her most now. She said said moving on will be tough.
"Nothing can bring my son back but I want justice for him," she said.
