The families of brothers Hector and Ernesto Castro Chinchillas have established a gofundme.com page to help with mounting costs following the brothers’ deaths from a hit-and-run accident in Chatsworth on Oct. 7.
Hector, 44, and Ernesto, 42, were driving north on DeSoto Street in a 1991 GMC truck when they were struck by a Ram 1500 truck headed east on Chatsworth Street at approximately 10:30 p.m. The GMC truck overturned and caught on fire.
Both Chinchillas brothers were declared dead at the scene.
The male driver of Ram truck and a female passenger ran away from the scene on foot. But police, with the help of witnesses, made an arrest.
Dylan Shane Rutherford, 21, of of Simi Valley, was charged with two counts each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run driving resulting in death.
The passenger was detained by police, but later released.
Hector leaves behind a wife Antonia Siqueiros and four children. Ernesto Ernesto Chinchillas leaves behind his wife Magda Estrada and four children.
According to the web page, Hector was here from Mexico, visiting Ernesto and helping him with the catering business Ernesto recently started — Nanditos Catering, in the movie production industry.
“We are asking everyone to help these brothers’ families as they grief in loss of these two incredible men and help ease a little bit of their stress with all the burial expenses,” the web page stated.
“We hope that this opens the eyes to the public about driving under the influence and if it makes at least two people make conscience in exchange of their life, it will make a big difference for our family. We are praying for strength and ask for yours too.”