INDIANAPOLIS — Family and friends are mourning the loss of a motorcyclist killed in a hit-and-run crash Saturday night on the west side of Indianapolis.
They have identified him as Wilman Ayala. He was just two blocks from his home when the crash happened.
“I was home 10 minutes before him,” said Rosa Ayala, his wife. “I passed this street, and I never thought it was going to happen to him.”
The crash happened at the intersection of Lynhurst Drive and Kelly Street, just north of Sam Jones Expressway, around 11 p.m. on Sept. 2.
Rosa said she knew something was wrong when she didn’t hear from her husband late Saturday night.
“I’m worried because I’m calling and I’m texting him,” Rosa said.
Family members said Ayala was an avid motorcycle rider and was planning to do a memorial ride on Sunday for a friend who died days earlier.
He never made it to that memorial.
According to IMPD, a silver pickup truck plowed into Ayala on his motorcycle as he traveled north on Lynhurst Drive and sped off. Ayala was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It’s not fair,” said his son, Kevin Ayala. “I feel angry. I feel sad. I feel in shock because it doesn’t feel real.”
Kevin said he spoke to his father earlier that day.
“He told me, he’s like, 'Go home, take care, don’t be out too late because you never know what can happen,'” Kevin said. “Now look what happened to him.”
The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene but was located less than a half-mile from the crash site shortly after. The driver was transported to a local hospital for a blood draw, which is standard procedure, and eventually arrested, IMPD said.
"Impairment is believed to be a factor in this investigation," police said in a statement.
Now, the family is left to mourn the sudden loss of a husband, father and grandfather.
“I’m going to get justice, no matter what,” Rosa said.
IMPD has not said exactly what charges the pickup truck driver may face.