| Matthew Salls, 22, had just joined the Army and was scheduled to leave for basic training Monday morning. |
Posted on 10/16/2006 7:39:15 PM PDT by SandRat
"The dude knows who he is, he just needs to man up, that's all I can say." Calling out a killer, a Tucson man devastated after his brother was run down while crossing the street.
That driver is still on the run. 22-year-old Matthew Salls had just joined the Army and was scheduled to leave for basic training Monday morning.
Willing to risk his life fighting for his country, this young man lost his life crossing a street in Tucson.
It happened about 3:00 Sunday morning on Irvington Road near Calle Ole.
An Army recruit, his family bid him farewell Saturday night with a party.
His recruiter was set to pick him up Monday morning so he could catch a flight to Phoenix, headed for basic training in South Carolina.
Tragically, that plan ended early Sunday morning.
"He was always happy always got something to say."
22-years-old: this was Matthew Salls.
He and his twin Johnny were the youngest in a family of five.
Johnny Salls said, "He was always looking to do things, always looking for a goal to reach out for himself, wants to always better himself."
A graduate of Sunnyside High School and someone who loved to tinker with his car, he was on to something bigger.
Johnny said, "The number-one subject that he had, all excited about going to the army, I mean, he was a little nervous, but he was ready to go."
His Army recruiter planned to pick him and fly him out to South Carolina this week. But he was hit and killed this morning when he tried to cross Irvington Road.
Families in the area tell me traffic moves much too fast, making it a dangerous place.
Gina Burgos said, "I heard some screeching noises, but like I said, there's so much traffic all the time."
Burgos lives next to where it happened. She's seen people dodge traffic before.
"It's 35, people are going 40, 50, maybe even 60 you'll see people racing each other down this street."
Police say someone driving an SUV ended Matthew's life. He wasn't in a crosswalk and there aren't many lights in the area.
Burgos said, "They need to do something because this is an ongoing problem."
And that turned into a tragedy for Johnny and his family.
"Yeah, that's my twin brother right there we don't look that much alike, but shoot, that's my brother that my brother right there."
Johnny, Matthew's twin says he doesn't know why his brother was trying to cross the road Sunday morning.
Police are still looking for that driver.
If you see a late 90s light blue or gray/blue SUV with front-end damage including broken headlights and maybe a broken windshield, you're asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.
| Matthew Salls, 22, had just joined the Army and was scheduled to leave for basic training Monday morning. |
Accident or????? In Left leaning Tucson you just never know in today's politics.
Nancy Pelosi is already calling for a U.S. withdrawal from Tucson...
Left leaning Tucson....
They are still Arizonans. They wouldn't do that on purpose. Probably just some drunk.
Prayers Up for the family...
Perhaps, but if this happened in Seattle or San-Fran, there would be reason to question that.
What did Nancy Pelosi know and when did she know it?
Normal Tucson street. At 3 AM, I wouldn't doubt the driver was doing 60 or more.
Sorry to hear of his death, but that goes for anyone killed for no good reason.
He's still one of our heros. God bless his family.
Semper Fi
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