Sonoma County rallies to fund funeral for Forestville hit-and-run victim
A fatal hit-and-run in Forestville leaves a community grappling with loss. Now, residents from the victim’s hometown of Cloverdale and throughout Sonoma County are stepping up to fund the funeral for Oswaldo Jr. Cardenas.
Cardenas was killed on River Road in Forestville by an SUV on Sunday, Oct. 27 while returning from a fishing trip with friends. The driver, a white woman around 40-years-old with an upper-arm or shoulder tattoo, stopped briefly and then drove away. Authorities later spotted the SUV, possibly a 2008 to 2013 Buick Enclave, near the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit station on Airport Boulevard. The California Highway Patrol urges anyone with information to call 707-588-1400.
Neighbors and community members are pooling resources through a GoFundMe campaign, organized by Isabelle Cardenas, to cover funeral costs for her brother, Oswaldo Jr. Cardenas.
The GoFundMe campaign aims to raise $20,000 for funeral expenses. So far, it has collected $9,705 from 121 donors and counting. The Cardenas family confirms that all funds will go directly to Oswaldo Jr.'s memorial services. Isabelle Cardenas, spearheading the fundraiser, thanked donors and called for community help to seek justice for her brother.
For Cloverdale, this collective action goes beyond financial support; it's a call for justice and a demonstration of community resilience. The Cardenas family assures that all donations will directly fund the funeral, as the search for the driver continues.
