Local teenager dies after road accident | News

Those who knew 18-year-old Carpinterian Diego Lake Nieves – who died in a traffic accident last week – have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a scholarship in Nieves’ honor. The scholarship fund will help future Carpinteria High School graduates.

Nieves, a 2023 graduate of Carpinteria High School, grew up in Carpinteria with his grandparents Sheryl Lake and Jim Tarantino, according to GoFundMe.

He attended Santa Barbara City College and worked at Rori’s Artisanal Creamery and Laughing Buddha Thrift in Carpinteria. While at Carpinteria High School, he was involved with Future Farmers of America and was a member of the school’s baseball team, so Coastal View News Archive.

“Diego was known for his bright smile and willingness to help. He loved baseball, the beach, his family and friends, some of whom he had known since kindergarten,” Mary Zeoli, GoFundMe organizer and founder of Laughing Buddha Thrift, wrote on the page.

“The family would like to endow a scholarship in his name for Carpinteria High School seniors. Hopefully this can be a lasting memorial to this amazing young man. He was loved by so many and will be sorely missed.”

Rori’s Artisanal Creamery wrote on its Facebook page that Nieves was a dedicated student who will be greatly missed.

According to a California Highway Patrol police report, Nieves was riding a motorcycle in heavy, slow-moving traffic on Highway 101 northbound near San Ysidro Road on July 3 when he collided with a stationary vehicle around 4:30 p.m. He died on July 4. The accident is currently under investigation.

The GoFundMe campaign can be found online at bit.ly/DiegoNieves. As of Wednesday morning, the fundraiser has raised $12,000.