Married father died after becoming pinned under his car when it fell on him while he worked on it but people who saw the freak accident stole from him instead of saving him
- The dad-of-two had his pockets and daughter's car looted while he was trapped
A married dad died after becoming pinned under his car while he tried to fix it - but bystanders who witnessed the freak accident robbed him instead of saving him, his heartbroken family have claimed.
Jeronimo Garcia Guerra, 69, was potentially trapped under his vehicle for over two hours in a Phoenix parking lot before someone called emergency services, according to police.
The dad-of-two had been driving his wife Margarita to work the morning of June 17 when her car broke down.
Cops believe the jack used to hold up the vehicle as he worked on it collapsed, causing the car to come crashing down on top of him and eventually killing him.
But Guerra's devastated family revealed that by the time police arrived on the scene, heartless thieves had stolen everything from the victim's pockets, looted the car he had been attempting to fix and stole the vehicle he arrived in.
Jeronimo Garcia Guerra, 69, was robbed while he was trapped under his broken down car he had been trying to fix in a Phoenix, Arizona, parking lot
The tragic incident took place at about 9:45am on June 17, but cops were only called to the scene at around noon
Guerra's devastated children, Monica and Jerry Garcia, spoke out on their father's shocking ordeal with his daughter revealing her car was also stolen in the looting
After Margarita's car had broken down, Guerra had driven his daughter Monica's car back to the parking lot before he began working his wife's stalled vehicle.
He had arrived at the parking lot at about 9:45am, and cops were only called around noon, heartbroken Monica told AZFamily.
'Who knows when the car really fell on him,' Monica said.
'Who knows how long he's been under there.'
Speaking out on the tragedy, the daughter added: 'After everything, they went through my dad's pockets and my mom's car and they saw them leave with my car.
Monica blasted the witnesses who saw the car fall on top of her father and those who took advantage of his trapped, helpless position and decided to steal from him.
'It's hard because I would never do that to somebody. I could care less about my car but at least they could have stayed there with him until help came,' she said.
'At least I would've known he wasn't by himself all day until somebody decided to say oh my god he's not moving.'
Monica's car was later discovered abandoned close to the harrowing scene, but she said the robbery was the least of her worries.
'That's somebody's dad, somebody's husband, a grandparent, somebody's best friend. He's my person. And I don't have that anymore because somebody couldn't stop and check,' she said.
A GoFundMe page, set up by Guerra's daughter-in-law revealed he was also a grandparent to 'little Margarita and Michael (Mijo)'
Heartbreaking images shared by the family show a happy Guerra surrounded by his children and grandchildren before his tragic death
Guerra's son Jerry Garcia Jr. also told the TV station: 'He always believed nobody out there is going to help you. In this situation, he was right'.
Following the devastating incident, Guerra's daughter-in-law April Adams set up a GoFundMe as the family prepare to lay him to rest.
In a heartbreaking message, April wrote: 'On June 17, 2024 Jeronimo Garcia Guerra, (beloved husband, father, Tata, father in law, and friend) lost his life in an accident while repairing a vehicle (with extenuating circumstances).
'We are asking for help as we are preparing to lay him to rest. He leaves behind his wife Margarita, 2 children, Monica (Ramiro) and little Margarita and Michael (Mijo), and Jerry (April). Any help at this time would be grateful'.
In an update posted yesterday, April revealed the funeral service will be held at the end of the week as the $4,000 donation goal has been reached.
Police have not yet made any arrests and their investigation is ongoing.
