The death of a man found near Discovery Park in Chula Vista is under investigation, Chula Vista police and the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said Monday.
David Flores-Rodriguez, 23, was found dead at 4:15 a.m. Sunday on Buena Vista Way near East H Street.
A driver spotted the man's body lying in the road and called for help.
When she stopped to make sure the man was OK, she realized he was a former student.
"I was on the phone with 911 when I was going to start CPR," the woman, who did not want to be identified, said. "When I looked at this young man I noticed he had been my student in seventh grade. He was a wonderful, wonderful kid filled with energy."
Police arrived and attempted life-saving efforts, but Flores-Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.
There aren’t any homes or businesses near the scene, so it’s unclear if anyone witnessed the incident.
Chula Vista police say that it appears the victim was riding a skateboard when he was hit by a car.
However, they said it's possible the driver was not aware of the collision.
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"He lived in the area," the victim's former teacher said. "I would see him often riding his skateboard."
Several friends of the victim stopped by the site of the crash Monday to pay their respects, including Flores-Rodriguez' former boss.
"He was the most loyal, honest, trustworthy kid I ever knew," he said.
He told NBC 7 that Flores-Rodriguez loved to skateboard and fish, and loved working with his crew framing houses.
Others who also stopped by said he lived right up the street.
The road had to be closed for several hours as police tried to piece together the clues, and it has since reopened.
Police say Flores-Rodriguez may have crashed on his skateboard and hit his head, and was then hit by a car, possibly unknowingly. They also say he could have been hit by a car that didn't stop.
"He should not have been left there. If it was a hit and run or even if it had not been a hit and run, if someone had seen him and came back it would have been the difference between him living or not," his former teacher said.
The Chula Vista Police Department’s Traffic Unit is investigating.
