Tribute for Ricky Flores on Veile Avenue

People shed tears Wednesday morning on Veile Avenue under Interstate 10 for a Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District employee who was struck and killed by a commercial truck Tuesday afternoon.

Ricardo "Ricky" Flores, 24, of Beaumont, was at work marking the street when he was fatally injured, police and coroner's officials said.

One woman brought a flower Wednesday morning and left it on a box with a note that read, "RIP Ricky. We love you."

Two other women arrived minutes later, and wept as they pinned a bouquet to a fence next to the sidewalk, with another note that said, "We Love You Ricky."

Men also came, some in workers' uniforms, to pay their respects for Flores.

"He was just a really sweet man," said Renee Pierce, 65, who knew Flores about five years. "Really special to so many people. He was so loved. . . . He was just special. He was a good guy, a really good guy. So many people loved him."

Pierce said she came to the spot where Flores died with Chanda Cinko, 41.

"Ricky went to school with her daughter," Pierce said. "He's part of the school group that all hung out. He went to Beaumont High School."

A coroner's report said Flores was marking the street when he was struck and fatally injured by a stake-bed truck at 2:44 p.m. Tuesday.

At about the same time, police received a 9-1-1 call reporting a traffic collision on Veile Avenue, south of 6th Street, Beaumont spokeswoman Darci Mulvihill said.

"Right now we're investigating a fatal traffic collision," Beaumont police Commander Sean Thuilliez said in an interview at the scene Tuesday. "It was a vehicle versus a pedestrian. The driver was transported to a local hospital with an unrelated condition."

Surveyor's equipment, including a tripod, stood on Veile Avenue near West 6th Street. Veile Avenue was closed for several hours for the death investigation.

An official at the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District said Wednesday morning he was preparing a statement.

Beaumont police urged anyone with further information about the incident to contact the Detective Bureau of the Beaumont Police Department at (951) 769-8500.

Information can also be sent to crimetips@beaumontpd.org or reported anonymously to WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME.