Family of 81-year-old hit-and-run victim urges driver to come forward

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The family of an 81-year-old man who was hit and killed in Rancho San Diego as he walked home from church is begging for the driver responsible to come forward.

It’s been more than two weeks, and Augestin Youhanna’s family still doesn’t have answers.

“He texted me saying he was going to church, and that was the last time I heard from him,” the victim’s son Patrick Youhanna said.

Augestin Youhanna lived off Jamacha Road and Brabham Street, less than a one mile walk from his home church — St. Peter Catholic.

On September 1, he was walking home from church just as he usually does.

“He’s done this walk hundreds of times,” Patrick said.

Now there’s a memorial there in his honor.

California Highway Patrol say a man described as a bald Middle Eastern man — who is described as 5’5″, weighing 150-180 pounds, driving a mid-2000s Toyota Camry with faded gold paint — was making a right turn onto Jamacha, as Augestin was legally crossing the street, and the driver hit him, and then drove off before emergency crews arrived to the scene.

Auguestin’s two sons said he was taken by ambulance to Sharp Memorial Hospital with brain damage, where he slipped into a coma and died the next day.

His family said him and his late wife had immigrated from Iraq in the late 70s where he had taught mathematics, and then later taught Arabic to the U.S. troops after moving to California. “He loved to teach,” his son Sam Youhanna added.

His two son’s Sam and Patrick said they also lost their mother to her battle to cancer earlier this year, and while it’s painful to lose both parents just months a part, they know their parents are reunited.

“He’s with my mom forever now,” Patrick said. “Say hi to mom, give her a kiss for me.”

This is an ongoing investigation, any witnesses who may have additional information regarding this incident are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol, El Cajon office at 619-401-2000.

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