A Hollister family is mourning the loss of 17-year-old Mason Gomes, an upcoming high school senior who died in a traffic accident the night of July 3.
Hollister Police Sgt. Dave Anderson said the collision occurred about 9:15pm on the 1900 block of Valley View Road. Police have not identified Gomes, but Anderson said he was riding an “off-highway motorcycle” and wearing a helmet.
Gomes collided with the rear corner of a trailer that was hooked up to a pickup truck, both legally parked on the side of Valley View Road, Anderson said. Police and paramedics arrived and located Gomes in the street with severe injuries, lying next to the motorcycle.
The emergency responders immediately attempted first aid before transporting Gomes to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to police and Gomes’ family.
His mother, Jennifer Gomes, said Mason was riding his dirt bike home from a friend’s house in another part of town, and his twin brother, Landon, was following in a pickup truck. The accident occurred as Mason turned onto Valley View Road, just two houses down from the family’s home.
Moments after the collision, Landon pulled into the driveway and told his parents what had happened, according to their mother, Jennifer Gomes. The family called 911 and ran back out to the scene of the accident, where Mason was lying on the ground, “lifeless,” Jennifer said. His helmet had fallen off due to the collision.
She added that her husband and Mason’s father, Nelson Gomes, attempted to resuscitate their son with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mason was an upcoming senior at Anzar High School, where he played on the football team. He played soccer since he was about age 5, enjoyed riding his dirt bike and loved hanging out with his twin brother and their younger sister, Karly. He and his girlfriend, Ayla, had been together for about 1.5 years.
His parents added that Mason was proud of his family’s Portuguese heritage, and he liked to sing.
“He was always smiling. He was very friendly to all the kids” in the neighborhood, Jennifer said. “The neighbors used to say he would always wave at them when he was riding by on his dirt bike.”
Mason also enjoyed family camping and fishing trips.
“He was an outdoor person,” added Nelson Gomes. “He was just a great young man. He was great with kids.”
The Hollister Police Department said in a statement that the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the response and investigation of the July 3 accident.
“The Hollister Police Department would like to offer our condolences to the victim’s family,” says the statement.
