California- A father of nine described by loved ones as the “heart” of his family was killed in a brutal road-rage incident in front of his wife and young children, authorities said.
Jason Elola, 49, had been leaving a birthday celebration for one of his sons on Saturday evening when his vehicle was involved in a collision in Castro Valley, California, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
Following the crash, an altercation broke out between Elola and the other driver.
The only information released so far about what transpired has come from Elola’s family. His widow, Gabrielle Elola, told reporters that she, her husband, and their two young daughters were cut off by the other vehicle near the Highway 580 offramp at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
She said their Subaru was struck by Davis’s SUV near the intersection of Wilbeam Avenue and Norbridge Avenue. Her husband exited their vehicle to approach the other driver, she said.
“The only thing that is clear is that my husband was protecting us and that we were scared, and that this person, he didn’t have to take my husband,” she told KTVU news.
First responders found Elola with severe head injuries and significant bleeding, the witness said. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Officials said the other driver initially fled the scene. However, 37-year-old Martin Davis Jr. later contacted the California Highway Patrol to report that he had been involved and returned to the site of the confrontation, authorities said.
“Preliminary information indicates that a physical altercation occurred between Elola and Davis following what is believed to be a road-rage–related incident,” the sheriff’s office said.
Davis was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and booked at Santa Rita Jail. Online records show he has already been released.
“This will be a very case specific analysis on the issue of self defense,” said legal analyst and former prosecutor Steven Clark. “It doesn’t mean there won’t be charges. It just means that the DA said we need more information before we can start down the road of a murder.
Elola owned and operated a pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm in Tracy. He is survived by his wife and their nine children Maria, Angel, Jordan, Brenden, Liana, Josh, Aiden, Allisandra, and Aliyah as well as four grandchildren.
“Jason was the heart of our family a kind, generous, and loving man who brought laughter and warmth wherever he went,” relatives wrote on a fundraising page. “His absence is deeply felt by all who knew him.”
His sister, Wendy Hernandez, said Elola was widely known in the Castro Valley community where they grew up. “Everybody knows everybody in Castro Valley,” she said. “He knew everyone by their first and last name that was his thing.”
