Charges pending against teen in deadly East Naples crash

Reporter: Nicole Papageorge
Published: Updated:

NAPLES, Fla.- Family and friends are remembering the 20-year-old tragically killed Monday night while trying to push his car off the road.

Troopers say Christian Gomez was pushing his disabled SUV on U.S. 41, near Treviso Bay Boulevard, when another car, driven by 17-year-old Alexa Day, came up from behind and hit him.

Gomez was declared dead on the scene. His family says he was a very good person, who was happy and always taking care of others.

“I got a call about 4:30 in the morning from one of his sisters saying he had passed away,” said Gomez’s friend, Tucker Bileau. “It woke me up out of my sleep. It was probably the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my whole life.”

Bileau, who’s home from the Marine Corps for the holidays, is now learning to cope without his best friend. Gomez and Bileau have been friends since attending Barron Collier High School together in North Naples.

“He would go out of his way to help people,” said Bileau. “I was at boot camp. He wrote me letters. Kept up with my parents.”

Gomez leaves behind his parents, two sisters, a niece and friends. They’re all remembering him as a bright young man whose life was cut far too short.

“People have passed away that have been close to me,” said Bileau. “But this one, this one hit pretty hard.”

“It feels like a part of my family’s gone,” said Bileau.

Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them.

Gomez’s family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses.

 

 

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