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Teen loses fight for life
• Boy dies from Hidahl School parking lot trauma
Roy Anthony Randez
Roy Anthony Randez, 16, of Ceres, died from the Dec. 27 injuries he sustained when he fell from a pickup tailgate in the Hidahl Elementary School parking lot. - photo by Contributed

The 16-year-old Ceres boy who fell from a pickup tailgate on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 27, has died from his injuries at an Oakland hospital.

During the Christmas holiday break, Roy Anthony Randez was in the parking lot of rural Hidahl Elementary School, 2351 E. Redwood Road, when the mishap occurred at approximately 2:42 p.m. His aunt said he was there to check on his steer kept at the CUSD Student Farm.

The California Highway Patrol investigated and determined that Randez, who was a Ceres High School FFA student, was sitting on the lowered tailgate of a 1999 GMC pickup. The 16-year-old driver quickly accelerated, causing Randez to fall from the tailgate and strike his head on the asphalt pavement. Emergency personnel arrived and found Anthony suffering from major injuries and in cardiac arrest. Randez was transported to Doctors Medical Center and later airlifted to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland on life support.

While Randez was hospitalized, his aunt, Amanda Randez started a GoFundMe account to raise funds for the family to deal with cover unforeseen financial expenses. She described her nephew “Bubba” as “a bright light in our family and community — full of positivity, joy and kindness. He’s the kind of person who lifts up everyone around him, always respectful and caring, and he is deeply loved by all who know him.”

The GoFundMe account raised $35,034 of its $40,000 goal as of Monday morning. The page link is:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-roy-anthonys-miracle-recovery

Friends say that Randez, who was in the ag mechanics program at Ceres High School, was always happy, dependable and willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.

The CHP reminds juveniles and their caretakers of California’s provisional license law. Newly licensed drivers under the age of 18 have two restrictions for the first year:

• Teens are not allowed to transport any passengers under the age of 20 unless they are accompanied by an adult over the age of 25;

• Teens are not allowed to drive during the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.