Emotional Vigil Held In Irvine For Skateboarder Fatally Struck By Dump Truck

IRVINE (CBSLA.com) — A vigil was held Sunday for the 20-year-old skateboarder who was fatally struck by a dump truck in the Angeles National Forest near Glendora.

According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, Eric Pederson, of Clayton, was identified as the man killed in Friday morning's collision.

Officials said the accident occurred around 10:00 a.m., on Glendora Mountain Road near East Fork Road.

A preliminary investigation revealed Pederson -- along with two other skateboarders -- traveled between 20-30 mph when he struck the undercarriage of a dump truck, which then ran over him. Pederson was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to California Highway Patrol officers, Pederson wore safety gear, but failed to remain in his lane. Officials told CBS2/KCAL9 they do not have plans to charge his friends.

The vigil was held at 10:30 p.m. at the Mesa Parking Structure on the University of California, Irvine campus. He was a UCI mechanical engineering student.

Before the vigil began, many of Pederson's friends wanted KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo to know their friend was nothing like the daredevil he's been portrayed in various media reports.

"He was not reckless he was responsible," said Louie Parker.

Friends told her you would never see Pederson on a skateboard without a smile and protective gear.

Pederson was so committed to safety he would tell fellow skateboarders to "old man up" -- in other words, to slow down.

That's s why his death on Friday seems particularly senseless.

"He was selfless, he was giving," said one friend. "He was a better skater than I'll ever be," said another.

Frank Obregon was with Pederson at the time of the accident.

He says they had started early to avoid heavy traffic and followed all traffic laws. He says Pederson was using a technique seen in this video to control his speed.

He calls his friend's death a terrible tragedy.

"He had the misfortune of hitting a rock and bounced off it and hit a truck," Obregon said.

Friends say Pederson wanted to marry his high school sweetheart.

He also wanted to literally change the world with his work  He was researching how to store solar power at UC Irvine and impressed his professor.

Jack Brouwer told Fajardo  he was going to ask the undergrad to represent their work at a lab full of PhD's.

I don't know how we are going to continue our research without him," Brouwer said, "it's really shocking. I'm going to miss him."