The family of a Pennsylvania musician who was killed when his motorcycle was struck by a fleeing illegal immigrant is reflecting on the 23-year-old victim's life.
“There was no one like him. Growing up, I relied on him for so many comforts in difficult times, and I don't know what to do now. And I don't know how I'm going to live without that,” Christian Sulka's aunt, Marcia Gois, said emotionally in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Sulka was killed by a car in Dormont, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening while riding his motorcycle home after watching his cousin perform at a local bar.
“It's a weird story. It's pretty crazy that we were there that night. I was with him in his band. I'm a performer and we had just played an acoustic set at a local bar, which is right around the corner from his house and the community we're always in,” Sulka's cousin, Noah Gois, recalled of that night. “He came in and was like, 'It's been a rough week at work. I can't wait to get out here and just relax and have some fun.'
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Family and friends are mourning the death of musician Christian Sulka, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident involving an illegal immigrant on Saturday night. (Christian Sulka Facebook)
Noah said Sulka was with him and some friends that night from 8 to 10 p.m., and that, as she often does, Sulka helped Noah carry his equipment to his car.
“We were at a bar and we were getting ready to leave, and he said to me, 'This is a beautiful night. I think I'm going to go for a bike ride.' And so he did. He put his helmet on, he put his gloves on. He walked around the bar. He was showing off how safe he was. Then me and a couple of friends were walking down the street and he sped by on his bike, honking and waving. And we walked down the street. And when we got to the street, he made a left turn, and that's when the accident happened,” Noah said.
Noah added that she took some comfort in knowing that Sulka was with people who were important to her that night and who cared about her, and that Sulka was able to go out and ride his bike, as he loved to ride.
Noah's mother, Marcia, hopes Sulka's death will not be in vain and that justice will be served.
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Noah Gois said he and his cousin, Christian Sulka, have played in bands together since they were teenagers. (Noah Gois Facebook)
“We are hopeful and have faith in the justice system that the perpetrator gets what he deserves and receives the full extent of the law. As a family it is very difficult to understand what happened because right now we only see it from a human perspective, who Christian was,” Marcia explained, fighting back tears.
“He was nice to everyone and I can’t imagine anyone treating him any differently; sSomeone could do that to him and just leave him there.
“It's really hard knowing that his kids were so close and he could have been there with them. I just keep thinking, if something had been different, if he had done something differently, even for one minute, one second, he would still be here.”
“What if he went home instead of leaving? It's hard to even imagine. You want to blame somebody, but at this point there's nobody to blame. It's very hard to sit here and blame somebody. And I know who did it. I know what they did. There's no excuse, but it's hard. I'm not gonna lie.”
Police identified the driver of the vehicle as 25-year-old Saul Rivera Ramirez.
Authorities said Rivera Ramirez was driving a red Ford Taurus. I set out on foot After the crash, he was accompanied by a woman and a small child.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Rivera Ramirez is an illegal immigrant who had previously been deported.
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Police have confirmed that an illegal immigrant has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed Christian Sulka, 23. (GoFundMe to help with Christian Sulka's funeral expenses)
“The Philadelphia Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has confirmed that Saul Ramirez Rivera is a non-citizen who is present in the United States illegally. Ramirez Rivera was previously removed from the United States and illegally re-entered without admissibility or parole by immigration authorities,” a spokesperson for ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations Division said in a statement.
“Following the arrest, ERO Philadelphia filed an immigration detention order with the Allegheny County Jail. ERO Philadelphia does not expect ACJ's current policy to honor immigration detention orders.”
Surka's cousin is still struggling to understand why the driver fled the scene without trying to save Surka.
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Saul Rivera Ramirez, 25, was arrested on Saturday night in Pennsylvania after he allegedly fled the scene of a crash that killed a young musician and is facing multiple charges, including vehicular homicide and driving without a license. (Allegheny County Jail)
“It really makes us sick to think that someone could be so inconsiderate, so selfish, cause such a tragedy and then walk away like nothing happened and never even take the time to check on him, admit any fault in this, or at least do the right thing to turn it around and give him some kind of help,” Noah Gois said. “Even just to hold his hand or just be there for him in those final moments. It really makes us sick.”
“You took the heart and soul of our family,” Marcia Gois said. “I just want him to know who the driver was, who did this to him. I just pray to God that he feels something. I want him to feel the same pain that we're feeling right now. Not just physical pain. I want him to realize how much he hurt our family.”
Ramirez Rivera faces multiple charges, including vehicular homicide and driving without a license.
He was transported to the Allegheny County Jail pending a preliminary hearing.
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Noah hopes that in the wake of this tragedy, people will remember his cousin and the impact he had during his short life.
“I hope people remember him because there's so much to remember him for. He was an animal lover, he loved the outdoors, he loved bikes. I knew him best not only as a cousin but as a musician,” he said.
“I've been working with him on music for a long time, and his creativity and understanding of art was astounding. It was something I'd never seen before. And that element that he brought to the world is completely irreplaceable, because I think art comes directly from the soul.”
