PICTURED: California father killed while helping duck family cross

A California father who was killed by a teenage driver while helping a family of ducks cross the street has been named as father-of-two Casey Rivara.

The “kind” and “compassionate” 41-year-old parked his car on the side of the road and led the mother and her duckling family across the intersection of Park Drive and Stanford Ranch Boulevard in Rocklin, California, on Friday evening.

Tragically, Rivara was hit by a 17-year-old female driver and killed while his helpless children, eleven and six, watched from the family car.

A spokesman for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said NBC news the unnamed driver cooperated, and that she was unlikely to be charged with the death.

In the aftermath of the incident, Rivara’s heartbroken Aunt Tracey Rivara created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Casey’s widow, Angel.

On the site, which has already raised more than $40,000, Ms. Rivara wrote in tribute to her cousin, “Casey was the kindest, most wonderful husband and father. Even his last act in this world was a sign of his compassion.

“The family is trying to figure out how to recover and carry on after this huge loss,” she added.

Ms. Rivara described how family man Casey had met the love of his life, Angel, in high school when they were just 17, “they quickly fell madly in love and remained inseparable partners for the past 23 years,” she wrote.

The couple shared two children, Sophia and James, now eleven and six, who attended Maria Montessori Charter Academy.

“His family was Casey’s world, and to stay even closer to them, he had recently started working at their children’s school,” his aunt wrote.

“He loved working at school because he was able to positively influence other children.”

Maria Montessori Charter Academy confirmed that Rivera was an employee, but declined to comment further.

Rivara’s last act of kindness was captured by 12-year-old William Wimsatt, the child of another driver.

Speak to 3KCRA William said, “He got out of the car, he chased the ducks away, and everyone clapped because he was being very nice.”

“He helped them up the curb because the baby ducks were in trouble.”

The Wimsatt family thanked Rivara for his good deed, but moments later a car traveling east on Stanford Ranch Boulevard killed the Good Samaritan.

“All I remember is the sound and then he flew over the intersection,” he added, “his shoes and one of his socks were right in front of our car.”

“He was the only person who got out of the car and tried to help them and probably the nicest person in the whole area. It’s not fair,’ said William.

After the incident, William’s mother got out of her car and comforted the man’s children who were in the man’s parked car, sadly witnessing the collision.

The Wimsatt family has since contributed $1,000 to the family’s GoFundMe page.

Parents and relatives of children from the Maria Montessori Charter Academy they worked for shared their children’s sense of loss.

Samuel Brewer wrote in the community group, “My granddaughter went to the school where he volunteered and said she lost her friend from the lunchroom, that was nice.”

Another Breanna Rybinski commented, “My son came home from school devastated by the news that his friend’s father and someone who regularly helps out at school was hit by a car last night.

“This man, I am told, was loved by all. REST IN PEACE.’

The photos show Rivara, dressed in a burgundy T-shirt, black shorts and sneakers, tenderly leading the ducks to safety.

Another woman, Summer Peterson, said her children also saw the scene.

They said, ‘Oh, it’s so cute. It’s so nice of him.’ And then all of a sudden he got hit by a car,” she said told CBS 13.

Peterson has created a temporary memorial at the crash site, with locals leaving flowers, and her son brought rubber ducks as a tribute to the man’s last act of kindness.

“My son wanted to bring rubber ducks and flowers to this gentleman who lost his life, he was a father.”

Amie Grout, who arrived at the scene moments after the collision, wrote on a nearby Facebook post about the incident: “It was a scene I will never miss. To all the wonderful citizens of Rocklin flying out of their cars to help, men with flared shirts ready to make tourniquets for the victim, to the men and women praying in their cars for this man, my heart is with all of you.”

Another, Dustin Goodshall, said CPR should be administered.

Rocklin police said the 17-year-old female driver remained at the scene after the accident and is cooperating fully with the investigation.

In a statement, the police said: “The driver remained at the scene of the collision.

Emergency services arrived to assist, but the man died at the scene. The Major Accident Investigation Team was activated and came to the scene.

“No arrest has been made and the incident is still under investigation,” they added.

“We would like to express our condolences to all involved in this tragic event.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Rocklin Police Department.