SAN MARCOS — A 16-year-old student at San Marcos High School who was struck by a car last week has succumbed to her injuries after several days in the hospital, her family reported.
Yoltzin Hernandez was struck by a vehicle around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 near the intersection of San Marcos Boulevard and South Rancho Santa Fe Road near San Marcos High School and was transported to the hospital with major injuries.
The driver remained at the scene and was cooperative with investigators.
Yoltzin’s family announced on social media that she had been taken off life support after fighting bravely for five days in the hospital. They also posted a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral and medical expenses, which gathered around $40,000 in donations in just a few hours.
“Yoltzin was more than a student, she was a sister, best friend, and a loving soul who always put others first. The Hernandez family is grateful for all the ongoing support,” the Hernandez family said in a statement on Facebook.
Yoltzin’s sister, Yaretzi Hernandez, described her as an incredible person who was caring, loving, and “always there for the people she loved.”
“We are a close-knit family of three sisters and one brother. Yoltzin was not just my sister but my best friend. With most of our extended family living in other states, our immediate family here in San Marcos has always been our strongest support. The grief and pain we are going through are indescribable, and it’s something we never imagined facing,” Yaretzi said on the GoFundMe page.
San Marcos Unified School District Superintendent Andy Johnsen released a statement to district families on Monday.
“As an educator of 31 years, but more importantly as a father of three children, my heart aches for the family, and I know that as a San Marcos community we are all grieving for them together at this time,” Johnsen said.
The family said the hospital will hold an honor walk in Yoltzin’s honor, as she was an organ donor.
The Coast News has contacted the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station for an update on the investigation. Sheriff’s officials previously reported that neither drugs nor alcohol appeared to be a factor in the collision.
