The couple were on their way to Cabo San Lucas to celebrate Luz’s 56th birthday when they were killed, NBC 7’s Omari Fleming reports.
Family of two people killed in Carlsbad over the weekend by a suspected DUI driver are sharing their story hoping no one else will have to suffer the pain they're feeling.
Jose Lozano and his wife Luz Duran Rios danced through life celebrating their love, as evidenced by a video clip their son Jose Ramirez shared with NBC 7.
“They were always together, smiling, dancing and traveling," said Ramirez.
The couple, from Richmond, California, were planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas to soak up some sand and surf for Luz’s 56th birthday this Friday, but that never happened.
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Family members say they were driving to the airport in Tijuana when they were killed in a three-car-crash, close to 4 a.m. Saturday morning by a suspected drunk driver.
It happened on the southbound Interstate-5 in Carlsbad, just north of Palomar Airport Road.
Ramirez got the devastating call.
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“She kept talking and I just remember just this beeping noise, my head, and I was just kind of just wanting to throw up and faint," said Ramirez.
Ramirez’s memories of his mom include her being a devoted family woman who immigrated to the United States with his sister for a better life.
She also remembers her as a woman of faith who inspired him and others to work hard to achieve the American Dream.
“People always had their differences, but mom was able to set them aside and just show people that, hey, hard work pays off. Being passionate, just being the person you are, just showing love, that everyone just remembers her for her energy," Ramirez said.
The crash didn't just take Ramirez's mom, it also took the only father he says he's ever known.
Jose Lozano was a veteran and engineer who became part of Ramirez's life after he was 13.
That's when Ramirez says Lozano became more than a stepdad, he became a father figure and role model.
"That inspired me to go to college because during the times I was unstable. But with time, now I work for a utility company and I manage multimillion-dollar projects," Ramirez said.
In the wake of his parents' tragic death, Ramirez is cherishing the memories they shared.
He says the family is planning to use any extra money they raise to go towards drunk driver awareness.
28-year-old Angelea Hayes was arrested in connection with the crash.
She’s now facing DUI and Gross Vehicular Manslaughter charges.
