Multitudinary and full of emotions was the farewell of Margalida Areyuna Urrutia (73), an older adult who on Friday night was the victim of a fatal hit by a motorcyclist while leaving the San José Obrero parish, in the La Antena sector.
The woman, who dedicated part of her life to the same church in front of which she lost her life and where she was buried, earned her space within the community of the popular sector in La Serena, where she is fondly remembered.
Serving as a volunteer as “sacristan” of the San José Obrero Parish, on Avenida Colo Colo, Margalida earned a place among her peers. Until the last moment, it was possible to see her carrying out “apostolic service” within the congregation, as was recognized at her funeral.
“She was the one who rang the bells, the one who maintained the floral arrangements, the one who was always concerned about the cleanliness of the parish,” describes Patricia Véliz, a historic neighborhood leader of the sector, who met her in person and today reports on the respect that his figure always generated in his environment.
“Many people came to say goodbye to her. She was a very dear person, so it has been a great pain for all the residents here in La Antena,” said Véliz, who remembers her as “a very humble person, with a big heart, a lot of service and a great “Christian humanist, who dedicated part of his life to serving the Lord in the parish.”
The person who joined the recognition was councilor Camilo Araya, who wrote a heartfelt message through his social networks.
“I regret the irreparable loss of my dear aunt Margalida, whom I met as a child in my pastoral work in the San José Obrero Parish with the Franciscan brothers. My aunt Margalida was one of the most relevant people in my life, to whom I owe a large part of my values and spiritual formation. May God bless her family and give them the comfort that she is already resting in the arms of the Lord whom she served with great devotion, fidelity and joy,” Araya said.
Margalida Areyuna was the wife of Edward Uribe, who at some point was also a social leader in the sector and even a candidate for councilor decades ago. She had two children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who accompanied her at her funeral and on the way to La Foresta Park, where she rests today.
In the ceremony held yesterday Sunday, her daughter was surprised to express her gratitude for the affection and recognition of the community.
The facts
According to information collected by El Día, on Friday, after 8:00 p.m., Margalida was leaving the San José Obrero Parish in the company of another person, who returned to look for her daughter before the accident.
A motorcyclist, apparently at high speed, hit her, fleeing the scene without providing help.
“Unfortunately, vehicles pass at high speed, especially motorcycles, surely she did not realize and the motorcycle was coming at high speed, so that she ended up dying right there and then,” they comment from the La Antena sector.
Following the driver’s trail
The Carabineros detailed the start of the investigations. Specialized personnel attended the scene, gathering information about what happened, which made it possible to identify the possible driver and also the motorcycle.
This is a man of Venezuelan nationality, identified as YJMV, 21 years old. Meanwhile, the vehicle was later found abandoned on Avenida Raúl Bitrán, with visible damage to the front, for which it is being examined by SIAT and Labocar personnel.
Following the searches of the motorcycle, the Vehicle Order and Search Section (SEBV) went to the address registered as the owner, but they were unable to find the driver, since the place was uninhabited and for rent.
Later, the owner of the motorcycle, a man of Colombian nationality, appeared before Carabineros, reporting that he had lent the vehicle to the driver who was involved in the accident, but stating that he did not know its current whereabouts.
According to the latest data on the case, collected by El Día, it was determined that the driver entered Chile illegally and is being searched throughout the country, although there is currently no arrest warrant for him.
Need for improvements
In La Antena, even with feelings of pain and helplessness over what happened, they ask to improve road safety conditions in the sector, especially considering how busy the Parish is, located on a high-traffic avenue.
“Many people approached me to ask me to intercede for improvements to be made,” says Patricia Véliz, mentioning the need to highlight signage, perform maintenance on palm trees that obstruct vision, and review the possibility of improving the lighting in the environment.
