Good Samaritan helping ducks cross busy street killed by teenage driver: Police

(ROCKLIN, Calif.) — A good Samaritan who stopped his car to help a family of ducks cross a road in California was struck and killed by a teenage driver, police say.

The incident occurred on Thursday in Rocklin, California — approximately, 25 miles northeast of Sacramento — when the male driver parked his car at the intersection of Park Drive and Stanford Ranch Boulevard when he saw a family of ducks attempting to cross the busy streets, according to a statement from the Rocklin Police Department.

But when the man, identified as 41-year-old Casey Rivara by ABC News’ Sacramento affiliate KXTV, got out and tried to shepherd the ducks across the road, a teenage driver who was headed eastbound on Stanford Ranch Boulevard ended up hitting the man as he attempted his good deed.

“This juvenile driver struck the pedestrian who was in the roadway,” said the Rocklin Police Department. “The driver remained at the scene of the collision. Emergency first responders arrived to assist, however the man died at the scene.”

The Major Accident Investigation Team was activated and responded to the area following the collision and police say the intersection was closed for nearly six hours while authorities conducted their investigation which last until about 2 a.m. on Friday morning when the road was reopened.

“Both lives were ruined. His and the person who hit him, so I think it’s terrible,” community member Diane Myerson told KXTV. “He was doing something nice and he ended up dying for it. Nobody thinks that they get out to help an animal or a person that they’re going to be killed”

The teenage driver was not arrested and the incident is still under investigation, police say.

Rivara, who was an employee at Maria Montessori Charter Academy, was reportedly driving his children home after swim practice when he saw the mother duck and ducklings struggling to cross the busy intersection, according to KXTV.

“We would like to extend our condolences to all involved in this tragic event,” said the Rocklin Police Department.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Rocklin Police Department.

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