What began as a quiet Friday morning in Oceanside turned into a nightmare for one family when 24-year-old Keith Lee Aaron was found dead in the brush off westbound State Route 76, near Singh Way. His relatives believe he was struck by a vehicle that then left the scene, and they are now scrambling to cover funeral costs and bring his body back home to Missouri.
In a news release, the Oceanside Police Department said officers were dispatched to the westbound SR-76 near Singh Way at about 10:57 a.m. last Friday. When they arrived, they found an adult male who was pronounced dead at roughly 11:05 a.m. The city later identified him as Keith Lee Aaron and said preliminary findings suggest the collision likely happened sometime between 1:00 and 8:00 a.m. that morning. Investigators said they do not yet have a suspect or vehicle description as the Traffic Unit continues its work.
Family Pleads For Answers
Keith's sister, Alexus Aaron, said the family is still reeling and trying to understand how he ended up alone in the roadside brush. An autopsy confirmed blunt-force injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle, she told KGTV.
She described Keith as "so sweet and loving" and issued a direct plea to whoever may have been behind the wheel: "Whoever did this, please just turn yourself in." According to Alexus, there were no nearby cameras, no obvious broken-off vehicle parts and no eyewitnesses at the scene, leaving the family to lean on the public's help and the police investigation.
Fundraiser To Bring Him Home
As the family waits for answers, they are also trying to figure out how to pay for a funeral and transport Keith back to Missouri. Alexus set up a GoFundMe titled "Help Bring Keith (Kiwi) Home for Burial" to help cover those costs.
When last checked, the campaign had raised $13,408 of its $18,000 goal from 70 donations. On the page, Keith is remembered as an adventurous young man who moved away from Missouri, and the family asks the community to help them bring him home for a proper burial. For now, the online fundraiser is one of the only concrete tools they have to manage expenses while investigators continue to search for the driver.
SR-76 Safety Concerns
The crash shut down westbound SR-76 for hours, snarling traffic and adding another entry to a growing list of serious wrecks along that stretch. A recent report on the deadly SR-76 crash from Hoodline connected the closure to a broader pattern of collisions and highlighted calls for engineering changes and tougher enforcement in the area.
Local officials say even relatively short shutdowns on the San Luis Rey Mission Expressway can trigger major detours, backups and additional safety issues for commuters trying to navigate around the scene.
How To Help
Investigators are now asking for the public's help to fill in the many blanks in the case. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, drove through the area between 1:00 and 8:00 a.m., or has dash-cam footage from that time is urged to contact Oceanside Police Traffic Investigator Ibrahim Serdah at 760-435-4769, according to the City of Oceanside.
The news release notes that the Traffic Unit is working with the County Medical Examiner's Office as the investigation moves forward. Tips can also be shared through the Oceanside Police Department's non-emergency channels.
Keith's family says it is grateful for the support that has already come in as they grieve and make final arrangements. Community members who want to help can donate to the online fundraiser, and anyone with information about what happened on SR-76 is urged to reach out to investigators.
