Those who were close to a San Diego man who was killed in what California Highway Patrol officers are calling a road rage collision say they are just beginning to come to grips with the reality of the loss.
Motorcycle riders joined friends and members of the U.S. Navy in show of support for the family of Chief Petty Officer Zach Buob.
Buob, 39, was riding his Ducati motorcycle along Interstate 5 onto State Route 54 when he became involved in a dispute with another driver, officials said.
Imperial Beach resident Darla Renee Jackson, 26, was the other driver and she's being held on $1 million bail, accused of murder in the May 28 incident.
Hours before Jackson's court appearance on Tuesday, the group of approximately 100 riders started riding toward the downtown courthouse from different parts of San Diego County.
By far the largest group was out of National City where they rallied in support of the family on this difficult day.
Close family and friends joined the ride and thanked riders.
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The riders wanted to get the messages out about how dangerous it is on the road and that everyone needs to pay attention to each other out there.
"It's heartbreaking," said Petty Officer First Class Max Reite. "It's not like a casualty of war although those are tragic in themselves. I mean this could have been avoidable and it is just sad that it went down like this.”
Buob was with Navy Special Warfare, an elite group of the Navy that takes on dangerous missions.
In a statement released Tuesday, Buob's mother thanked Navy Special Warfare Command for helping the family deal with the loss.
She described her son's 20-year career with the military and how he served as a Gunner’s Mate on USS Antietam.
She described the military as her son's second family. That was something echoed by those who took part in Tuesday's Ride for Zach.
“It's a family out here and to have something like this happen to one of our own as a rider and as a military service member, it hits home. It hits home hard,” said GSM2 2nd Class Renay Gardner.
