Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Mom DESPERATE after son riding bike in coma from HIT-AND-RUN

Episode Date: May 13, 2019

A California driver leaves the scene after hitting Francisco Rodriquez, out on a bike ride. He was left bloodied, unconscious and in critical condition.Francisco's mother, Elisa Castellanos, joins Nancy and makes and emotional plea for any answers as to who hit her son and changed their lives foreverNancy's expert panel weighs in:Steven Lampley: Former detective. Former traffic investigator.Dr. Michelle Dupree: Medical Examiner and author of “Homicide Investigation Field Guide”Ellen Killoran: Crimeonline.com Investigative ReporterAshley Willcott: Juvenile Court Judge & Trial Attorney Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. According to Sacramento police, the hit and run happened at around 2 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of T and Alhambra, Franci friends and family called led lights on his bike th lit up. I don't know how not seen him on that bike

lit up. Paco's friends an flyers around Sacramento anyone with information w I want them to turn themselves in. How dare you take my son like that and hurt him and leave him there? Didn't even stop to help him. How can anybody have a heart and how can they do that? Leave somebody there to die.

What happened to Francisco Rodriguez? Why was he mowed down in the prime of his life right now? Family wanting answers. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Story straight out to Ellen Kaloran, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter. Ellen, what happened? Francisco Rodriguez, an avid cyclist who was always aware of safety, his bicycle was completely lit up, was riding at the end of the night after

a night cycling with a group of other bicyclists, and a car came and just ran him down on a road in Sacramento and left him there all alone until fortunately a good Samaritan driving past the scene saw Francisco and stopped the car and contacted emergency authorities. And he is still in medical sedation at a hospital right now. And the driver who did this to him is still out there. A bicyclist found unconscious after a brutal hit-and-run crash in Sacramento. Still sedated, still fighting for his life, breaking his family's heart. And speaking of family, joining me right now, his mom, Elisa Castellano. Elisa Castellano has been at the hospital by the side of the bed,

praying, hoping for the best, and wanting answers. Elisa, thank you so much for being with us. What can you tell us about the night of the hit and run? The only thing that I can say is that I didn't know about it, is that he was riding his bike home and he got hit. I didn't find out until 30 hours later that he was in the hospital. And all I know is that when they took him in, they took him in as John Doe and they had to do surgery on his brain right away, take the skull off, you know, because he was bleeding and swollen. We are talking about a bicyclist left on the side of the road, unconscious after a brutal hit-and-run crash in Sacramento today.

His mom joining us, begging for information. If you know anything, please call 916-264-5471. Right now, her son, Francisco, still under sedation, still fighting for his life. He's had to have part of his skull removed to relieve swelling from a traumatic brain injury caused by a hit-and-run driver that went off about their merry way, leaving him face down unconscious early, early on a Saturday morning. And then it happens, a passing driver finds him and gets help. Two special guests joining me, Dr. Michelle Dupree, medical examiner,

author of Homicide Investigation Field Guide, explained to me why part of his skull had to be removed to reduce swelling. The brain has no place to go in an enclosed skull. So in order to relieve pressure from that, we need to remove part of that so that it can expand without forcing additional injury to the brain itself. Right now, the brother of Francisco, Jimmy, is stating that he doesn't know if his brother will have permanent damage, if he will die. It's very tough for the family to see Francisco like this. The two brothers were out riding their bikes until just a few hours before Francisco was hit,

was mowed down by a driver. Now, the brother had finished his bike ride and was on his way home, had no idea that Francisco was lying face down on the side of the road to Ashley Wilcott, juvenile court judge, trial lawyer. You can find her at ashywilcott.com. Ashley, the mindset it must take to just leave a person on the side of the road, face down, knowing you've hit them. Yeah, there's no way to understand that, Nancy, because you know what? Even if you don't know what you hit, theoretically, let's just say they were looking down. They knew they hit something. They knew it had to be of a big size. You would think any person with any conscience

would at least stop and see, was it a deer? Was it an animal? Was it a dog? God forbid it was a person. No one would not stop to see what they've done and what had happened. Now, that's the scenario. Maybe they didn't know what they hit. The unthinkable is they might have actually run a person over on purpose.

We need answers. Well, we all remember one of the most famous drunk driving cases in recent history. Listen to our friend Matt Gutman at ABC. The story of the crash begins to be told by Ethan's blood alcohol content. It comes back three times the legal limit for an adult, and that's three hours after the crash. Now understand, this is three hours of time he had for his body to clear alcohol out of his system. Speculation, what his blood alcohol was at the time of the accident is through the roof. As Ethan awakes in a hospital bed, the sun also rises over Burleson-Redder Road.

It is Father's Day. The next day, yeah, I find these packages where my Father's Day cards had been filled out. And my Father's Day gifts were there. I bet they were gone. There was no preparation, no time to say goodbyes or anything else. You're hearing our friends at ABC 2020 following the horrific crash by drunk driver, affluenzatine, Ethan Couch. That brought a lot of headlines to drunk driving and vehicular homicides.

At this hour, prayers go on for Francisco Rodriguez, his mom with us right now, Elisa Costiano. Elisa, what are the doctors saying about your son? They don't know. It's all unknown, but they're saying that he can have, he might not be able to talk. He might not remember nothing. He might have amnesia. He might not be able to walk. They just don't know yet. They're going to need to do an MRI. Then we'll build a no more. But I just want him to wake up. You know, it changed his whole life. This is one thing changed my son's life and my life.

So right now, they don't even know. They don't know. To Dr. Michelle Dupree joining me, medical examiner. Dr. Dupree, why can't doctors give her, the family, Elisa, any answers? Nancy, this is such a tough situation. When we have something like traumatic brain injury or TBI, it is a whole multitude of signs and symptoms, and it doesn't manifest itself the same way in any two people. It depends on the severity of the injury, and it depends on the part of the brain that was actually damaged. And so we just don't know. Doctors can't determine those kinds of things. When something like this happens,

Dr. Dupree, typically how long do they keep the person sedated, and why do they have Francisco still sedated? Well, Nancy, one of the reasons to keep the person sedated, we put them in a coma so that it doesn't do more brain damage, so that it will help keep that swelling down. The brain can relax. It doesn't have to work as hard. And basically, it just helps them to recover much better. And basically, we keep them in there for as long as we need to, until we're sure that that brain swelling has stopped to prevent further injury. So the longer you keep them sedated, the more time it gives their brain to heal and for the swelling to subside? Yes, yes, that's correct. And it helps prevent the brain from continuing to swell. You know,

Dr. Dupree, with me, everyone is Francisco's mom, Elisa Castellano. I had a very, very dear family member riding a bike. He was hit by a van driven by a woman with three screaming kids in the back. And my relative, who I love deeply, had a very similar treatment. Sedated for a long period of time, a shuntunt which is like a tube put in a skull for pressure on the brain to I mean you have to open the skull for the brain which is swelling to it's like a bruise or when you get a lump on your arm when you get hit or you run into something it has to go somewhere and if the brain goes up against the skull, it damages the brain. But if you open the skull up, it gives the brain a place to go, to swell up and then subside.

And by putting a shunt or a tube in, it releases that pressure. And let me just tell you, my relative is doing really well now. Can walk and talk and just a miraculous recovery. And that is what I pray right now for Francisco Rodriguez, his mom, Elisa, with us now. If you have information to what brute ran him down and left him face down for the Lord only knows how long. Please call 916-264-5471. Repeat, 916-264-5471. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. crime stories with nancy grace he's a big teddy bear big teddy bear he loves everybody he loves to ride his bike he loves to

put all those lights on on monday elisa costellanos got a call from the hospital that no mother ever hopes to get and then when I walk in a God, it just tore me up. like that. My son came in then when we came in, the I seen him all in his bed without us even knowing h statement, UC Davis Medica every it makes every effort to identify a patient

and find their family whenever they come in without an ID. It went on to say they're sorry they weren't able to notify the family any sooner. However, Castellanos says a witness who stopped to help her son told her he did have an ID, which is why she can't understand why it took the hospital more than 30 hours to contact her. Well, I understand actually to Dr. Michelle Dupree why they operated before they found the family because time is of the essence when you've got swelling of the brain, Dr. Dupree. Time is of the essence and the more that brain continues to swell with something not being done, the more injury and the more damage that is done to that person.

To Elisa Castellano, this is Francisco's mother. The doctors aren't really telling you anything. What do you know about his condition? What do you know about the night he was mowed down by a hit-and-run? All I know is that when he was just riding home and that when they hit him, the witness just told me that when she found him, he was grasping for air and that he was shaking. And she told him, don't die, don't die. Stay with me, Francisco.

Stay with me. And she just, and she just went, you know, after that, she called the hospital to find out, please find the family, don't let him die, please find the family. And she kept on going to the hospital to find out if they contacted the family. And they wouldn't tell her much either. Back to Ellen Kaloran, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter. Ellen, is there even a description of the car? Was there a traffic light surveillance camera? Anything? What can you tell me about the area,

EK? Well, Nancy, we do finally have a big lead here, and it is a surveillance video capture. It's a little bit grainy, but it's clearly a vehicle that was at the scene. It's a Nissan model. It's a light colored, probably white or silver or very light gold. It's hard to say because it's black and white surveillance footage. The rear mirror, driver's side mirror or the passenger side door mirror, I'm not sure which one, had fallen off the car and was left behind at the scene. And that's how authorities were able to put together the surveillance of video footage and figure out that it was Nissan. So this is only just within the last day. There's a lot of information being spread locally. There's photos, the family and authorities are spreading the photos of the vehicle and just asking anyone to come forward if they recognize that vehicle at all.

We know we have to stay with confidence at this point that whoever did this, they have to know who they are and they're out there. And the reality is, is that Francisco is in no shape to say anything about what happened. But that's a huge, huge clue, Ashley Wilcott. Nancy, listen, here's the thing. Yes, somebody knows something. The person who did it, somebody in the car, they know what happened. Somebody's going to come forward. This is a huge break that there was surveillance matched with the car because of the fact a mirror had been knocked off. This is great news. Great progress. Next step. Whoever knows anything, even if they think, well, it couldn't have been this person. It couldn't have been that car. This is great news, great progress, next step, whoever knows anything, even if they think, well, it couldn't have been this person, it couldn't have been that car,

that wouldn't have happened. They need to report it because this investigation is going to find who did it eventually. Taking a listen to our friends at Fox 40 Sacramento. One rider who decked his bike out in flashing lights before hitting Sacramento streets with his cruising club. The night ended with another kind of flashing lights, hitting Sacramento streets with his cruising club. The night ended with another kind of flashing lights, the kind that signaled tragedy. My son is fighting for his life right now and to see him like that is killing me, breaking my heart. Elisa Castellano's son Francisco Rodriguez has had to have part of his skull removed to relieve swelling from the traumatic brain injury, a hit-run driver caused when they

left him face down and unconscious around 2 a.m. Saturday morning a passing driver at Alhambra and T Street found him and got him help they have highly sedated they're watching to make sure he doesn't get pneumonia he doesn't have seizures they just said it can take weeks I don't know if he's gonna wake up or not I don't know if he's going to wake up or not. I don't know if he's going to be permanently damaged, if he's going to die in here. I don't know. It's just, I smell the brother, and it's just tough seeing him like this. Joining me right now, Stephen Lampley.

You can find him at StephenLampley.com. Detective and, for a period of time, traffic investigator Stephen Lampley. This is a huge big deal deal finding part of the car. We think it's part of the car that mowed down Francisco. Nancy, it is a huge break. And oftentimes, in my own personal experience, when we have a hit and run, there's precious little information. And there are no witnesses. And there's precious little to go on.

We're relegated to paint chips and tire marks. In this instance, we have a photo of a car. We have part of the car, which is enormous. And I would think at this point in time, at least I would hope, that the investigators are online searching for this Nissan in the database, which you can do. You don't have to have a tag number. You can do it by making, modeling, color,

and get a list of all of these vehicles, which could be enormous, Nancy, but it's a starting point. And I would also be wanting to know, I'd be wanting to enhance this photo as well. Okay, let's talk about old school, when all you have are chips of paint, and that's all you have to go on. Isn't it true that paint, if it's still the factory paint that was put on it when it was purchased, can be traced to a particular make and even model?

Because, for instance, Chrysler versus, you know, Saab versus Volkswagen, they all have unique colors. Those colors are made within their factories and those particular paint mixtures can be traced back to not only the the manufacturer but the year of the make and the model they don't use the same, let's just say, midnight blue VW, let's just say a Jetta, as opposed to a Bug. It's different. They have different colors. It's very significant. The information you can get from even a paint chip.

So tell me, Stephen Lampley, former traffic investigator, how it's done with just a paint chip. Well, Nancy, you're right. If you have a paint chip, typically, at least in the modern models, you have four layers. You have two layers of base or primer. Then you have the color coat, and then you have the clear coat. And like you said, each manufacturer has their own pigment their own makeup and by simply taking that and what they usually do is they'll go in and can clip or cut part of that paint chip and then they can identify the layers and then go back and look into the database

and see what manufacturer had that type of uh that type of pain what the year to make a model right now francisco rodriguez remained sedated hospitalized at uc davis medical center his family hoping praying for the best who ran down francisco rodriguez Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. According to Sacramento police, the hit and run happened near the intersection of T and Alhambra. Franci friends and family called installed led lights on h of the crash lit up. I do could have not seen him o

all red lit up. Paco's fr posting flyers around Sac anyone with information w I want them to turn themselves in. How dare you take my son like that and hurt him and leave him there. Didn't even stop to help him. How can anybody have a heart and how can they do that? Leave somebody there to die. How do you tell that it is a Nissan? How do you know that? What can we learn from part of a side view mirror? E.K., Ellen Kaloran, CrimeOnline.com investigative reporter.

What can you tell me about the placement of the mirror? I mean, how are we connecting it back to the person that ran down Francisco? it appears that they had the mirror at the scene before they had the surveillance footage that had the grainy image of the car, which does not show the license plate. So from what I can put together, it seems like they already had that piece of evidence, and then seeing the surveillance photo of the car helped them confirm what the model was. So back to you, Stephen Lampley, at StephenLampley.com, detective and former traffic investigator. There are whole teams of detectives that work in theft and car ID. How can you look at a car at a distance and know what kind of car it is? Well, each individual car has different attributes about it, different characteristics, different manufacturing processes.

And you can take a piece of a car, and even if you don't yourself know what that piece came off of, there are databases that you can go to, and it'll tell you. It'll tell you all. There's all kinds of databases, databases on paint shifts, databases on tire tread. It's just a simple matter. It may not be so simple, but a simple matter of going back and looking at the database and seeing what car they came off of. And when we're saying make and model, what I mean by that, for example, Toyota is a car, make. The model would be, let's just pretend Camry. The make is a Toyota.

The Camry is the model. The make and model, the year, the body style, the trim, all of these have implication on what kind of car it is. For instance, one year they might put trim down the side of a Camry. The next year they may change the trim. Let's just say end it after the passenger door, all right, the front door. They change it every year in some minor way. So if you can enhance that grainy video, you're on the right track. Ashley Wilcott, is it making sense? It absolutely makes sense, Nancy. And do you know, there's a trial that's going on right now. And in this trial, they have surveillance of a pickup truck and it's very grainy. And all they can really tell us it's a pickup truck. But guess what? There's other pieces of evidence that they have been able to narrow down the type of pickup truck and actually match it to a potential suspect. So

they have a lot compared to a lot of scenes. They have a lot to go on. I think it's a huge break. It's going to open this case wide open. And I'm confident eventually they are going to find who did this, but it needs to be sooner rather than later. Another thing, you think it's like a needle in a haystack? It's not. You've also got body styles. Manufacturers might make a certain car model with several different body styles. For instance, we're saying Nissan. Let's just pretend, okay, let's say it's a 2018 Nissan. Is it a sedan? Is it a coupe? Is it a hatchback? Is it a convertible? Is it a wagon? Is it an SUV? What I'm saying is, isn't this true, Stephen Lampley? It's not as wide as it sounds. Yes, I know it's a big city, but when you start with a Nissan, then you narrow it down to this color and you narrow it down to which Nissan has that type of side mirror.

Okay. Obviously, is it a Nissan truck? Is it a Nissan coupe? Is it a Nissan hatchback? Then you start, you start isolating the pool of those cars in the area. I mean, if they could get that much, is there a way also they could have gotten even a fragment of the tag ID? So, Stephen Lampley, explain to me how you isolate this car down, and then you see where the car is. Has it been wrecked? Is it out of commission? Has it been sold? You can look that up online, and bit by bit, day by day, you narrow it down.

Lampley? That's right, Nancy. You go on there and let's just say, for instance, we have a light-colored vehicle. I don't know if it's white, gray, blue, even a light red, a dark. You know, as well as I do at night, colors appear to be one thing and they're not because of the reception of our eyes. So let's say we have a Nissan and let's say this looks like a so-and-so model of our eyes. So let's say we have a, we have a Nissan and let's say we, this looks like a so-and-so model of that car. Uh, it's probably a year range. So you go into the computer, the police department can, and get a listing of all vehicles that match those

parameters. And then you go back and say, okay, which one of these, you know, let's eliminate these, let's eliminate these, let's eliminate these. And slowly you chip away at this until you come down to a hopefully more manageable database of vehicles you can start checking on. Yeah, and we know the correct color because we've got that side mirror. Joining me, Francisco's mother, Elisa Costiano. Elisa, what, if anything, are police telling you about identifying the hit-and-run driver? All they said is that they've got the mirror, and that's all they've really said. The video didn't show good coverage because it was grainy, blurry. They couldn't get the license plate on it. All they have is the mirror. If they take the mirror down to the Nissan dealer, forget the computer,

those guys and women that sell these cars every single day, it's just like me looking at a set of facts and I go, okay, that's the theft by receiving, that's theft by taking, that's theft by deception. I mean, just as easy as for me to read a police report and tell you what the grand jury should charge with, they can look at this and go, oh, yeah, that's off a Nissan. What is a Nissan Sentra? Is that a Nissan? Okay. Jackie's here telling me about Nissans, the Nissan expert.

I mean, they can look very simply at that and go, oh, yeah, that's off last year's blah, blah, blah, Nissan Sentra. And this is Ocean Pearl color. And they had that color, you know, for two years in 17 and 18. Keep talking. Keep talking. I mean, that's their bread and butter. That's their trade. They know this.

Man, I'd take that mirror straight down to the Nissan dealership and get some answers. And then another thing, think about it, Ashley Wilcott, I would start at the location where the incident happened, and I'd go out maybe five blocks, and I'd find, if I could, as best as I could, every Nissan, let's just say a Nissan Sentra, okay? Nissan Sentra owner within those blocks, then move out. And yes, I know they could have resold it. I know that. But you have to start somewhere. That's where I would start, Ashley. Oh, agree completely. And not only that, but think about this. It's missing a mirror. And who knows if they're going to go get it fixed or not, but they may not. So it's important not only in starting in that inner circle search.

Remember, this was 2 a.m. So there's a good chance whoever was on the road at 2 a.m. might have been close to their home or wherever they were going and parking the car. So you need to start with that circumference, then expand your search. You need to look for this type of Nissan. You need to look for one that's missing a mirror. And you need to canvas and ask people if not only do they know if anyone drives this type of car, but this type of car or a car that's missing a specific mirror because that's another clue.

Yeah, and when you get your mirror, your side mirror totally whacked off, it takes a minute. I'm talking about weeks, days or weeks before you can get that part in. Then you got to take it and get it fixed. Right now, everybody, a mother is begging for help to identify a hit and run driver who leaves her son, her boy, seriously injured. Injured. Crime stories with Nancy Grace. She was about to turn 21 and had just gotten a new job at Centinella Hospital. Now the family of Jennifer Lopez wants the driver who took her life to do the right thing. Turn yourself in because regardless what it is, it's going to take you wherever you

go. You killed a person. This surveillance video shows the moment of impact of Mitsubishi slamming into Lopez's Nissan at the corner of Alondra Boulevard and Bullets around nine last night. I saw the guy get out to the truck and run away. Catalina Tapia told us she witnessed the crash from her home. Her own car badly damaged, the stop sign next to it showing the force of the collision. We watched surveillance video from two different angles. Both appear to show the driver run the stop sign at high speed. When first responders arrived, she was declared dead at the scene. Her cousin calls her a quiet person who kept to herself and who was very nice. If you know, if you're watching this, let us go to the police station because you left a mother and a family. You are hearing our

friend Ted Chen at NBC4 LA and another family begging for answers after a hit-and-run takes off, leaving a young mother dead. In this case, Francisco Rodriguez is still in the hospital under heavy sedation. The hospital doctor is keeping him under sedation to hopefully allow his brain trauma to heal. Hill and joining me his mother Elisa Casiano begging for that person to come forward that person that mowed down her son her boy if you have information please call Sacramento police 916-264-5471 now according to police this incident occurred at Alhambra Boulevard. A Nissan-type vehicle fled the scene immediately after. To Elisa Castellano, this is Francisco's mother. What did it do to you?

What did you feel? What did you think when you first heard? And how did you hear Francisco had been injured? They got a hold of my son, Jimmy, and he called me and said, Mom, call the hospital. And then when I called the hospital, they just said that they couldn't tell me anything because he's John Doe and I'd have to go and claim him. And so immediately my heart, it just, oh god it just it was a nightmare it's still a nightmare that so when I went over there and I seen him all machined up and stuff it just just killed me it just it's changed everything my whole life my son's life and to see him laying in that bed not waking up is just breaking my heart i'm just

i'm trying to hold it together and um to see him there and i want him just to wake up and he's not waking up and they just i just i want him to be okay i want him to wake up and be able to talk and be able to do everything he does. Every day, it just kills me. I cry, you know. He had a video. He made a video for me on my birthday, and I play that over and over and over because he loves me dearly, you know.

And I just listen to that video day and night. I want him to wake up because he made it two weeks before this accident. With me is Francisco's mother, Elisa Castellano, begging for answers. To Dr. Michelle Dupree, medical examiner and author, Dr. Dupree, recoveries do happen. The fact that he is still sedated, they are keeping him sedated to give his body a chance to heal. What does that mean and why are they doing it, doctor? Nancy, they're doing that to give the body time to rest. And absolutely, there is chances for recovery. It's really more of

a functional recovery because the functions of the brain are what are usually impacted in these kinds of cases. And so we see recovery all the time. But it is uncertain. We just don't know at this point in time. We are talking about a hit and run where Francisco Rodriguez is left by the side of the road face down. Stephen Lampley, detective, traffic investigator, or stephenlampley.com. I've often wondered that the frame of mind, and I've covered and investigated so many hit and runs, what mentality that is to just leave someone on the side of the road. I mean, I wouldn't even do that to an animal, much less a human with a mom, with Elisa, you know, somewhere wondering, where is my boy? I mean, you've dealt with this so many times, Stephen.

What have you observed in hit and run defendants? Well, obviously they don't care. It's all about them, and it's almost a psychopathic mentality. Not every time, but you've got people that are going to perhaps violate the law. This person could have been a DUI, could have been on drugs, may have had warrants. This car may have been stolen. Who knows what the circumstances, but it's all about them and they don't care who they have to hurt in order to get away.

To Ashley Wilcott, judge, lawyer, you can see her at AshleyWilcott.com. Ashley, the frame of mind to me is someone that can detach themselves from what they've done. Yes. And so let me suggest this. Number one, if they were intoxicated or impaired, I think by now they would have come forward and said, oh, I think they would have turned themselves in. Otherwise, I think it's exactly what you said. It's somebody who detached, removed themselves from it in denial, can't believe it, and aren't coming forward. And

I cannot understand that mentality either. But then again, as rational people, we don't always understand the mentality of criminals. At this point, whoever did this is a criminal. They need to come forward. Sacramento Police Department says there is a reward of at least $1,000 for any information. There is the GoFundMe set up. Help Francisco Paco with recovery. I'm looking at it right now. He is still unconscious. He was mowed down by an unknown person in what we think is a Nissan. A hit and run on a Saturday, left lying on the side of the road face down. Severe injuries. The family is asking for help in identifying who did this. He had his very first surgery to reduce pressure on his brain to allow healing. What we know right now, the police are looking for a particular color of a Nissan missing a side mirror. Police number 916-808-0620.

Repeat, 916-808-0620. Back to Francisco's mother, Elisa. I'm trying to figure out from what you're telling me exactly how much progress police have made in finding this person. I got a very strong feeling that they were drunk driving. That's what the police officer, the detective mentioned, that I really haven't really talked to them much. It was hard for them to get a hold of them, first of all. And I have a niece that is dealing with him, but we haven't heard anything else on that. You know, I'm looking at his bike, like you told me, when you say it was lit up,

Jackie, have you seen this bike? It's really lit up. I mean, both wheels are completely lit. It looks like with red lights. The body of the bike is lit. Basically, every part of the bike is lit up. It's like crazy lights on here. How could you not see it? Now I know what you mean, Elisa. Yeah, he lit it up because, you know, here in Sacramento, we do second Saturday bike rides, and every weekend they have bike rides, and it's all about decking up your bikes with all these lights, you know, to be safe at night. And so he got all those that day and put them all on there that day. Her son came into the hospital as a, quote, John Doe.

They had no idea who he was, no idea who his family is, and today his mother begging for answers. To Francisco's mother, Elisa Castellano, what is your message to the person that mowed down Francisco? Please turn yourself in. Please turn yourself in. Do the right thing. You need to do the right thing.

Turn yourself in because we need right thing. You need to do the right thing. Turn yourself in because we need to find out who did this. We need to find out who did this. You need to turn yourself in. There again is a GoFundMe right now to help Francisco Rodriguez and his mother. Also, lift up your prayers for his recovery. Nancy Grace, Crime Stories, signing off. Goodbye, friend.

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