SAN ANTONIO — As a rapper, Richard Tovar had many names.
Relatives say his music appears on social media sites as Eric Diaz, Stealth Entity and Richard Gein. But the last beat has sounded and his voice has been silenced.
Tovar, a 46-year-old father of two, was killed by a hit-and-run driver one week ago on West Commerce Street, near Our Lady of the Lake University.
Relatives said he was on the phone with his mother when he was hit, adding that when the phone went spinning out of his hand, the line stayed open. She listened in disbelief, yelling into the phone until it was eventually picked up by a responding police officer who confirmed her fears.
Police said Tovar was trying to cross the street from north to south around 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 when the driver of a silver Impala hit him and left him to die. Tovar was not inside the crosswalk, according to authorities, but was within just a few feet from it, in an area that neighbors said is just plain dangerous.
Dario Estrada Jr., who lives nearby, said he has a survival plan for making it across the busy thoroughfare every time he wants to go to a nearby store.
"Everybody just knows to run for their life. I see if the coast is clear and I run, because when you punch the crossing lights, the drivers don't slow down," Estrada said.
He said beacons designed to warn eastbound traffic to slow down are not working, control signals in the center median were knocked out and removed some time ago, and even if the devices are functioning as intended, drivers tend to not slow down for pedestrians.
"They don't care. I mean, they knocked down this sign over here. They knocked down the other one over there. Another one doesn't work. It's like, really?" Estrada said, adding his complex is full of vulnerable people who are at risk every day and night.
"We got a lot of elderly people right here that cross the street. Some of them are on wheelchairs, some of them on canes or walkers," Estrada said, adding he had one very close call himself. "This car almost hit me and I pointed to the sign. 'Hey dude, don't you see the light?'"
A spokesman for the San Antonio Public Works Department said once they were notified about the problems, they immediately began looking for solutions.
But the wait continues because they don't yet have the right parts. They said supply chain problems are exacerbating the issue, so they are looking to borrow parts from TxDOT to get the job done more quickly.
"Our hearts go out to the family that lost a loved one in this tragedy," said City Councilmember Teri Castillo, who represents District 5. "We want to make sure that folks recognize that distracted driving is dangerous driving."
Castillo said her office is in talks with the public works department to address concerns about the roadway, including posting new signage warning commuters about the crosswalk and reminding drivers to be vigilant.
Both public works officials and Castillo said it is important for anyone who sees a problem with any traffic control device to say something by calling the city's 311 helpline. They agree that 311 is the fastest way to get the repair process started.
Meanwhile, San Antonio police have not arrested the hit-and-run driver. They said anyone who knows anything about a silver 2014 Chevy Impala with recent passenger side damage should call their non-emergency number: 210-207-SAPD.
Friends of Tovar have established a fund to help his family pay for funeral expenses; you can find it here.