ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) – A former Canyon Crest Academy basketball player is being remembered, after he was killed in a hit-and-run while walking in Encinitas.
“He was super positive, tons of energy,” Brian Baum said.
Brian Baum coached David D’Lima in high school basketball, and high school at Canyon Crest Academy.
“He was the ultimate teammate. He did whatever you asked, whatever role you needed him to do,” Baum said.
Baum tells us that the last teammate attended UC-Santa Barbara, before graduating with a degree in environmental science and getting a biotech job in the San Diego area.
His promising young life was cut short on New Year’s morning.
“It still doesn’t resonate. It’s still hard to deal with,” Baum said.
Deputies say around 12:30 a.m., a van heading west on Encinitas Boulevard hit D’Lima as he crossed the road on Coast Highway 101, before going up. D’lima was rushed to a hospital where he died.
“People are definitely upset and frustrated by the situation,” Baum said.
At the scene of the accident, there is a memorial that remembers D’Lima. In the memorial, next to a tribute to D’Lima, someone wrote “Why?”
Baum says the circumstances surrounding D’Lima’s death are hard to bear.
“I can’t understand what could cross someone’s mind … to walk away and not take responsibility for what happened,” Baum said.
On Wednesday, deputies released new details about the vehicle. Investigators say it is a dark colored van, possibly a Chrysler Town & Country or Dodge Caravan with front driver side damage.
Baum hopes someone will come forward with the information.
“I think the family deserves to know what happened … It would be nice if that could happen,” Baum said.
Anyone with information is asked to call (760) 966-3500 or the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200.
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