dmrowe
Registered
It bothers me everytime I read one of these articles about someone trying to get away from the cops. It is more then about avoiding a ticket or being the BMOC (Big Man on Campus) because you have a fast motorcycle. It affects your family, your loved ones and your friends. 3 Minutes from start to finish, RIP
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Motorcyclist loved school, soccer, thrill of speeding
Christian Osuna, 20, who was killed during a high-speed police chase, was a student and star athlete. But he also liked the rush of going fast on his motorcycle.
By DEEPA BHARATH
The Orange County Register
Slideshow - News - A helmet along with parts of the destroyed motorcycle were scattered along Orange Avenue in Anaheim.
ANAHEIM – Friends and family members of a 20-year-old man, who died Sunday after crashing his motorcycle during a high-speed police chase in city streets, say they are in a state of shock and puzzled by Christian Osuna's "out-of-character" behavior.
The Osuna they knew was a full-time student who was completing coursework at Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton, majoring in mechanical engineering. Osuna was also holding a job at Kragen Auto Parts in Placentia. Above all, he was a star soccer player who was on his way to the major leagues, says Robert Rodriguez, his soccer coach at Loara High School.
"He was a young guy and liked to have fun," Rodriguez said. "But he was also a very responsible, good person. He just wasn't that kind of guy."
But his father, Pablo Osuna, said that his oldest child had one fatal flaw – he loved to go fast.
"Christian loved everyone and was loved by everyone," he said, choking back tears. "Speed was his only weakness."
The Orange County Coroner listed Christian's last name as Paraza, but his father said his son's last name is the same as his.
Court records show Christian Osuna was stopped by Anaheim police five times between August 2007 and April 2008. One of those charges was dismissed. But four other times he pleaded guilty or was found guilty, according to court records. On April 27, he was charged with speeding in excess of 100 mph. He was eventually found guilty by the court and his license was suspended.
Pablo Osuna said his son's driver's license was on probation and he could drive only to and from work or school. He also said he had no idea his son was riding a motorcycle until one month ago.
"I was not happy about it," he said.
Christian Osuna had been riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 for about two months, said his brother Jhovani Osuna, 17. He bought the motorcycle from their cousin right about the time the Osuna family moved from Anaheim to Corona, Jhovani said.
Suzuki's Web site says its GSX-R600 model was "developed and refined on racetracks around the world" and that it features the "most powerful, most efficient 600 cc four-cylinder engine ever built by Suzuki."
Jhovani describes his brother as a fun-loving person.
"He was always joking and playing around, a great brother," he said, choking up.
The last time he saw his brother was Saturday night when they watched a movie together, Jhovani said.
Anaheim police officials said officers started following Osuna Sunday afternoon when they saw him riding at 90 to 100 mph on city streets and after Osuna rode past a red light. The chase, which lasted only three minutes, ended on Orange Avenue when Osuna lost control of his motorcycle as he tried to go around a car, officials said. He became separated from his motorcycle.
Rocio Estrada, Osuna's long-time soccer coach, said she was driving her van side by side with Osuna's motorcycle on Beach Road right up to the intersection of Ball Road where the pursuit began. She said he seemed to be riding "perfectly normal" until then. Estrada made a right on Ball Road while Osuna continued on Beach, she said.
"Three minutes after I saw him, he was dead," she said. "I just think and wonder about what was going through his mind at that time."
They were returning from a soccer game at Goldenwest College where Osuna had played "brilliantly," Estrada said.
"He played defense that day, but Christian is so good he could play from any position," she said. "His last game was the best game he ever played."
Martinez said the officers who pursued Osuna did their best to stop him, but couldn't.
"No officer was able to keep up with him," he said. "All of our decisions were based on the decisions of the suspect. We saw that he violated the law. He ran two red lights. He was traveling at more than 90 mph on city streets, which is highly unusual."
The entire pursuit lasted only three minutes, which meant officers had to make a split-second decision, Martinez said.
Estrada said Osuna was probably the only member of their soccer team, Juventus, who never drank alcohol, even at team parties.
Rodriguez said Osuna was slowly making his way up in local soccer leagues and had the potential to play Major League Soccer.
"He was a young guy with great talent," he said. "With his talent, he could have got a free ride through university and played for a good major league team. This is truly a tragedy."
Osuna is survived by his parents, Pablo and Martha; his brother Jhovany and sister Jessica.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Motorcyclist loved school, soccer, thrill of speeding
Christian Osuna, 20, who was killed during a high-speed police chase, was a student and star athlete. But he also liked the rush of going fast on his motorcycle.
By DEEPA BHARATH
The Orange County Register
Slideshow - News - A helmet along with parts of the destroyed motorcycle were scattered along Orange Avenue in Anaheim.
ANAHEIM – Friends and family members of a 20-year-old man, who died Sunday after crashing his motorcycle during a high-speed police chase in city streets, say they are in a state of shock and puzzled by Christian Osuna's "out-of-character" behavior.
The Osuna they knew was a full-time student who was completing coursework at Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton, majoring in mechanical engineering. Osuna was also holding a job at Kragen Auto Parts in Placentia. Above all, he was a star soccer player who was on his way to the major leagues, says Robert Rodriguez, his soccer coach at Loara High School.
"He was a young guy and liked to have fun," Rodriguez said. "But he was also a very responsible, good person. He just wasn't that kind of guy."
But his father, Pablo Osuna, said that his oldest child had one fatal flaw – he loved to go fast.
"Christian loved everyone and was loved by everyone," he said, choking back tears. "Speed was his only weakness."
The Orange County Coroner listed Christian's last name as Paraza, but his father said his son's last name is the same as his.
Court records show Christian Osuna was stopped by Anaheim police five times between August 2007 and April 2008. One of those charges was dismissed. But four other times he pleaded guilty or was found guilty, according to court records. On April 27, he was charged with speeding in excess of 100 mph. He was eventually found guilty by the court and his license was suspended.
Pablo Osuna said his son's driver's license was on probation and he could drive only to and from work or school. He also said he had no idea his son was riding a motorcycle until one month ago.
"I was not happy about it," he said.
Christian Osuna had been riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 for about two months, said his brother Jhovani Osuna, 17. He bought the motorcycle from their cousin right about the time the Osuna family moved from Anaheim to Corona, Jhovani said.
Suzuki's Web site says its GSX-R600 model was "developed and refined on racetracks around the world" and that it features the "most powerful, most efficient 600 cc four-cylinder engine ever built by Suzuki."
Jhovani describes his brother as a fun-loving person.
"He was always joking and playing around, a great brother," he said, choking up.
The last time he saw his brother was Saturday night when they watched a movie together, Jhovani said.
Anaheim police officials said officers started following Osuna Sunday afternoon when they saw him riding at 90 to 100 mph on city streets and after Osuna rode past a red light. The chase, which lasted only three minutes, ended on Orange Avenue when Osuna lost control of his motorcycle as he tried to go around a car, officials said. He became separated from his motorcycle.
Rocio Estrada, Osuna's long-time soccer coach, said she was driving her van side by side with Osuna's motorcycle on Beach Road right up to the intersection of Ball Road where the pursuit began. She said he seemed to be riding "perfectly normal" until then. Estrada made a right on Ball Road while Osuna continued on Beach, she said.
"Three minutes after I saw him, he was dead," she said. "I just think and wonder about what was going through his mind at that time."
They were returning from a soccer game at Goldenwest College where Osuna had played "brilliantly," Estrada said.
"He played defense that day, but Christian is so good he could play from any position," she said. "His last game was the best game he ever played."
Martinez said the officers who pursued Osuna did their best to stop him, but couldn't.
"No officer was able to keep up with him," he said. "All of our decisions were based on the decisions of the suspect. We saw that he violated the law. He ran two red lights. He was traveling at more than 90 mph on city streets, which is highly unusual."
The entire pursuit lasted only three minutes, which meant officers had to make a split-second decision, Martinez said.
Estrada said Osuna was probably the only member of their soccer team, Juventus, who never drank alcohol, even at team parties.
Rodriguez said Osuna was slowly making his way up in local soccer leagues and had the potential to play Major League Soccer.
"He was a young guy with great talent," he said. "With his talent, he could have got a free ride through university and played for a good major league team. This is truly a tragedy."
Osuna is survived by his parents, Pablo and Martha; his brother Jhovany and sister Jessica.
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