Grieving mother finds son’s bucket list, promises to honor victim in freeway crash

By Michelle Bandur

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — It has been a difficult time for the family of Monte Nunn, 29.

He is one of the five passengers killed in the Highway 160 crash near the Freeport Bridge on Feb. 9.

Nunn’s family learned of his death from a jail phone call from the suspected driver, Cameron Garcia.

On Tuesday, a brawl with the suspect’s family broke out outside of court.

Nunn’s mother said she is trying to focus on her love for her son.

While going through his belongings, Felicia Rosales found a notebook.

“I found his bucket list that he wrote of all the things he wanted to accomplish,” Rosales said.

She said she wants him to do all the things on the list.

“He deserved to do each and every one of these things on the list,” Rosales said.

Rosales described her middle son as her best friend, who went on mother-son dates and texted her every morning and evening to say, “I love you.”

She said he had a light around him.

“He brightened up any room that he walked in,” she said. “He just had this contagious smile and he’s known for his loud goofy laugh.”

Nunn died along with four others in the crash.

The California Highway Patrol said the suspected driver, Cameron Garcia, 28, was drunk when he slammed into a tree and left the crash scene after carjacking a woman who stopped to help.

Rosales said she found out about her son’s death when Garcia called her from jail.

“I said, ‘What happened?’ and he said, ‘I can’t tell you. I’m on a jail phone.’ I said, ‘Where’s my son?’ and he wouldn’t answer me and I said, ‘Cameron where’s my son?’ and he said to look up,” Rosales said.

There is tension between the families as Garcia’s family says he was not driving and that Nunn was the one behind the wheel.

Emotions came to head outside the jail after Garcia made his first appearance in court Tuesday.

Nunn’s father got into a fight with Garcia’s brother. The family said Garcia’s brother was taunting them as they watched the court hearing on their phones. Courtrooms are not open to the public due to COVID-19 protocols.

“The family is making it so hard for us to grieve, just let us grieve in peace,” Rosales said. “Let my son rest in peace with his name, honor and beautiful person that he was.”

She said she plans on living her life for her son.

“Honoring him for the way he would want me to be,” she said.

Nunn earned two associate’s degrees and was taking classes at Sacramento State to earn his bachelor’s degree.

Garcia is being held on $5.5 million bail, charged with several felonies, and is expected back in court on March 29.

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