MARTINEZ — An Army reservist who jumped into the path of a big rig near the Zampa Bridge in July committed suicide, a jury ruled Wednesday while his family contended he wasn't suicidal.

The death of Kristian Sayson Valmadrid, 29, of Roseville, Placer County, was the subject of a coroner's inquest because of the circumstances of his death — he walked into traffic in full view of California Highway Patrol officers who had stopped to help him.

Just after midnight July 22, CHP Officers Timothy Leviste and Jason Tyhurst responded to reports of a disabled car on eastbound Interstate 80 near Pomona Street. They saw a green Toyota SUV on the shoulder with its lights out and a man later identified as Valmadrid standing on the right side, away from traffic.

Leviste testified that he used his patrol vehicle's PA system to ask the man if he was OK and that Valmadrid did not respond to that or a similar question from Tyhurst. Seconds later, the officers said, Valmadrid walked around the front of his vehicle and lunged into traffic, where he was hit by the rig. A passing minivan struck his body as it lay on the highway.

Tyhurst said interviews with Valmadrid's supervisors in the Army Reserve described him as depressed and possibly harboring an alcohol problem, and that he had been absent from reserve training.

Tyhurst testified that about two hours before his death, Valmadrid had tried to jump in front of another big rig but the driver

Advertisement
was able to avoid him. Cameras installed in that rig recorded the reported near-miss, Tyhurst said, but when the footage was played for the jury, it did not clearly depict what was happening.

Charita Sayson, Valmadrid's mother, testified that her son was not suicidal and had withdrawn from his reserve training because he was awaiting a return to active duty in the Army. He had completed most of an eight-year contract with the Army Reserve, including a three-year active-duty stint, she said.

Sayson said she is trying to learn the full circumstances of her son's death.

"I object to the verdict. He was a good son," Sayson said after the jury's ruling. "I lived with him for 29 years and he was not suicidal. He was a happy kid."

Robert Salonga covers public safety. Reach him at 925-943-8013. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga.