The 28-year-old son of Half Moon Bay Mayor Joaquin Jimenez died Saturday after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a traffic collision on Highway 1, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said.
Joaquin Dominik Jimenez Alvarado was identified Sunday afternoon by the county coroner following the crash at Highway 1 and Mirada Road in Half Moon Bay Saturday night, the sheriff’s office said.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with Mayor Jimenez and his entire family during this time of unimaginable loss. No one is ever prepared for such unexpected tragedies, and when they strike so close to home, they affect us all profoundly,” San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus in a statement. “As a community, let us come together to support the Jimenez family and lift them up with our love and strength.”
The fatal collision between Alvarado’s motorcycle and a pickup truck took place at Highway 1 and Mirada Road around 5:45 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. It shut down Highway 1 northbound and southbound for more than four hours, Sgt. Philip Hallworth said.
“My son was well respected and loved by family, friends and the community. He was respectful and never caused any trouble. He had a beautiful heart and was a giver.” Half Moon Bay Mayor Joaquin Jimenez
The investigation into the cause of the collision remains ongoing, according to the sheriff’s office.
The family’s tragic loss comes just four months after they celebrated a history-making moment when Joaquin Jimenez was sworn in as the first Mexican immigrant mayor of Half Moon Bay.
In a statement released to Bay Area media on Sunday, Jimenez said, “This is a complete tragedy. My son was well respected and loved by family, friends and the community. He was respectful and never caused any trouble. He had a beautiful heart and was a giver. He grew up in half Moon Bay, loved writing stories and riding motorcycles. I am very proud of him.”