California Man Dies After Getting Hit By Car While Helping Ducks Cross The Street

man and ducks
William Wimsatt

This is absolutely heartbreaking.

According to KCRA3, a man passed away last Thursday night after he was hit by a car while helping a family of ducks across the street in Rocklin, California.

The man had gotten out of his car at Stanford Ranch Road and Park Drive right after 8 PM to stop traffic and herd the ducks to safety, as several bystanders admired the good Samaritan’s work before they witnessed him get struck by the vehicle.

The driver was a 17-year-old girl who stayed at the scene, and is cooperating with police.

12-year-old William Wimsatt witnessed the whole scene, and told the outlet:

“He got out of the car and was shooing the ducks and everyone was clapping because he was being really nice.”

Wimsatt was able to snap a few pictures of the man while he was helping out the ducks while they walked in front of their car, and he also added that nobody moved even when the light was green:

“He helped them get up over the curb because all the little baby duckies were having trouble and then he walked in front of our car.”

After the ducks made it across, Wimsatt said that everybody was applauding the man’s actions:

“My mom rolled down the window and said, ‘Good job, good job,’ and I said, ‘Good job’ to him too and then right after that, the second after that.”

That’s when the car hit the man, with Wimsatt saying that it basically came out of nowhere:

“I didn’t see the car actually hit him. All I remember is the sound and then him flying across the intersection. His shoes and one of his socks were right in front of our car.”

He added that luckily his little sister was in the backseat looking at the ducks, and not the horrific scene that unfolded.

They stayed home from school last Friday with their mom as they continued to try and process what they had just witnessed. Wimsatt’s mom even comforted the man’s children, who were in the car asking for their father after he had gotten hit.

He continued:

“He was the only person to get out of the car and try and help them and probably the nicest person in the entire area. It’s not fair.”

Another 12-year-old was at the scene and witnessed the whole thing, and even returned to the intersection with flowers and a bunch of rubber ducks to honor the good Samaritan, telling KCRA:

“You should honor him because he was being really kind and then something horrible happened to him. He was an amazing person.”

Police are still investigating, and the driver has not been ticketed or arrested.

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