(WSVN) - It was a terrifying crash caught on surveillance video. A young father losing his life, and police say the driver was high. Tonight, for the first time, we are seeing the video and hearing from his only son. Rosh Lowe has this tragic story in the Lowedown.
Ivan Figueras: “I think about him everyday.”
Thirteen-year-old Ivan Figueras is left with only memories
Ivan was the only son of 37-year-old Ivan Figueras Sr.
Figueras Sr. lost his life last year in a horrific accident caught on surveillance video. He had just taken a job off loading cars. He was doing his job when all of a sudden, a car plowed into him. The video is so graphic, we will stop it before you see the impact.
Ivan Figueras: “I was sleeping, and then I woke up and my mom told me my dad was in a crash, but I didn’t know it was serious. I went to my friend’s house, everybody came over and my friend said, ‘Your dad passed away.’ It was tragic.”
Rosh Lowe: “Just heartbreaking for a little boy to lose his father like this. This tragic crash happened on June 23 of last year [2015] here in Pompano Beach. From the get go, investigators say it didn’t appear that the driver, Joshua Stein, swerved to avoid this crash.”
Yulydy Rodrigues said in Spanish: “I miss him everyday. It’s very difficult.”
The driver, Joshua Stein, was arrested. According to police, they found “multiple canisters of compressed gas (computer cleaner)” in his car. Cops said when they questioned Stein about the canisters, he said, “I use them to get high.”
Cops believe Stein was high at the time of the crash.
Scott Egleston: “How do you define the loss of a father? How do you define what’s happened here? He was a young man.”
Stephen Rosenthal: “When he wasn’t working, what was he doing? He was with his son.”
Attorneys Scott Egleston and Stephen Rosenthal have taken this case. They have settled with Stein’s insurance company. But nothing can ever bring back a father to his child. A 13-year-old who speaks to his dad at bedtime.
Ivan Figueras: “Before I go to sleep, I’m like, ‘Goodnight daddy. I miss you a lot.’ The first few days, I cried. I still cry a lot.”
But little Ivan is now the man of the house and needs to be strong for his mom.
Ivan Figueras: “She get’s emotional, and I hug her and that’s it. Appreciate everything you have. My best friend, he has his mother, he has his own life. He has his house, and I tell him everyday, ‘Appreciate that man. Be grateful you have all of that.'”
The driver had a prior DUI conviction in 2004.
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