An 81-year-old Richmond man known to friends as Don Rafita was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Sunday, just steps from the restaurant where he regularly sang karaoke. Rafael Delgado was crossing 23rd Street near Hellings Avenue around 8:28 PM when he was struck, moments after leaving Restaurante Bahía de Jiquilisco. The driver did not stop, and more than a week later, police still have no one in custody.
Delgado's family is now publicly pushing for answers, telling KTVU they want justice for a man described as a well-loved member of the community. Richmond Police Department records classified the crash as a felony vehicle-pedestrian collision and confirmed that Delgado was crossing within a designated crosswalk when he was hit, according to the Grandview Independent. Investigators had not identified the driver or the direction the vehicle was traveling as of late August.
Neighbors Asked to Check Doorbell Cameras
The Delgado family and Richmond police are asking anyone living near 23rd Street and Hellings Avenue to review home and doorbell camera footage from 8:10 PM to 8:40 PM on Sunday for any sign of a damaged or speeding vehicle, per Richmondside. Anyone with footage or information is urged to call dispatch at 510-233-1214. No description of the vehicle had been confirmed by investigators as of that report.
Delgado was a regular musical performer at Restaurante Bahía de Jiquilisco, the same Grandview Independent report notes, and the restaurant announced it would collect in-person donations for his family during its Friday-through-Sunday karaoke hours, from 6 PM to 10 PM, in the wake of his death.
What the Law Says About Fleeing the Scene
Fleeing the scene of a collision that causes death or serious injury is a felony under California Vehicle Code Section 20001, punishable by two to four years in state prison or up to a year in county jail, along with fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, according to Deldar Legal. California law requires drivers involved in injury crashes to stop immediately and render aid. Separately, drivers are required under Vehicle Code Section 21950 to yield to pedestrians crossing within marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections and to reduce speed to protect them, per the Shouse Law Group — a duty that applies at standard intersections whether or not crosswalk lines are painted.
A Corridor Already Flagged for Safety Fixes
Delgado's death lands on a stretch of road that Richmond officials had already singled out for concern. The Richmond City Council directed city staff in February to study creating a “Safe Walk Zone” along the 23rd Street corridor to improve pedestrian safety near parks and schools, according to city documents, since the street functions as a major commercial and transit route. Richmond Police Department collision data from 2024 showed hit-and-runs made up nearly half of all traffic crashes citywide that year, including 110 misdemeanor and 16 felony hit-and-run incidents, with speeding and unsafe turns among the leading factors, the Grandview Independent has reported separately.
The pattern extends beyond Richmond. Contra Costa Health reported in May that fatal pedestrian crashes rose by nearly 30% across the county over the past decade, with pedestrians and cyclists roughly 2.4 times more likely to be severely injured or killed than motorists in a crash. The county health department received a $222,000 state grant to expand pedestrian safety programs in response. Contra Costa County adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan back in 2022, aiming to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries through infrastructure changes, speed management, and coordination among agencies using a “Safe System” approach.
For now, the investigation into who killed Rafael Delgado remains open, with Richmond police and his grieving family hoping a neighbor's camera holds the answer they need.
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