FRIENDS MOURN STUDENT KILLED BY SUSPECTED DRUNK DRIVER

A San Jose State student died Monday after being injured in what police suspect was a DUI hit-and-run accident over the weekend.

Without question – these have always been the type of stories I’ve always had the hardest time covering.  Being front & center as others work through tremendous loss/grief is painful.

Friends plan fundraiser for classmate struck/killed by DUI driver.

The victim — who friends have identified as Chi Lam — was listed in critical condition at a hospital until Monday afternoon when he was pronounced dead, according to police.  It was then that my colleague, Lilian Kim,  really started working the story in overtime.  Most of this article is from the work that she started.

The suspect, who has been identified as 22-year-old Solomon Friese, was arrested early Sunday morning, shortly after the incident, and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail on a felony hit-and-run charge.

Sgt. Heather Randol said the victim was crossing South 10th Street at 12:59 a.m. Sunday when he was struck by a car heading south. Friese took off, but later hit a parked vehicle on South 8th Street and San Salvador Avenue.

Friese then left the car and went to his apartment, Randol said. When police arrived, he came out of the apartment and met with officers.

Flowers placed at growing memorial for 23-year old Chi Lam, victim of DUI driver.

Delta Sigma Phi remembers their brother struck/killed by DUI driver.