The family of a soldier who was killed on a local highway thinks someone may have been chasing him when he was hit.
Brenda Dent has only wonderful things to say about her 26-year-old son David Smith.
"He was a wonderful son, thoughtful, loving, caring," Dent said in a phone interview from her West Virginia home. "He always wanted to be in the military, that's all he ever talked about was being in the military."
On Sunday morning, David, a Lemon Grove resident, was supposed to fly from San Diego to Texas for training, and then to Iraq for his first deployment. Brenda said her son was excited to finally be getting the chance to serve his country.
"On his Facebook [page] it says, ‘I'm going to war HUA’!"
But on the morning of his flight, David was waiting for a friend near Bradley Avenue and SR 67, so he could get a ride to the airport.
CHP investigators said for some unknown reason David ran across the highway. He was struck by several vehicles and killed.
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"It's not David's nature to take off randomly and climb over a fence and cross a highway and cross a cement barrier and go on the other side of the road,” Brenda said.
She and other family members believe someone may have been chasing David.
David's brother Rodney told NBC San Diego that CHP officers said it didn't appear drugs or alcohol played a role in the death.
Brenda is hoping someone will come forward with new information that will help put the pieces together in this mystery.
"I don't know how to deal with it, I get by one minute at a time," Brenda said.
