Atascadero honors boy killed in hit-and-run with medal for heroism
Around 100 Atascadero community members joined together for a solemn ceremony on the steps of City Hall to honor the life of 11-year-old José Francisco Gutiérrez Orozco, who died while saving his friend.
The Atascadero Police Department paid tribute to José with a posthumous award — a police lifesaving medal — for the sixth-grader’s noble action in warning his friend of an oncoming truck that came barreling off El Camino Real as they walked home from Atascadero Middle School on March 14.
The last thing José said to his friend as they walked home was “Look out!”
While José was able to save his friend’s life, he was unable to save his own. He died of his injuries at the scene.
The suspected driver, 31-year-old Zachary Bernal, was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and felony hit-and-run resulting in death. He pleaded not guilty to the crimes in an emotional court hearing attended by many of José’s family members.
A memory that Maria Orozco, José’s mother, treasured was José lying on her chest, dreaming of what he wanted to be when grew up: a police officer.
“Not old enough to wear a badge, José displayed the courage, integrity, self-sacrifice that defines the very heart of a police officer,” Atascadero Police Chief Dan Suttles said at the ceremony. “His dream of serving and protecting others lived within him and was made manifest in the noblest of ways, through the ultimate act of heroism.”
Suttles said the award will ensure José’s name will always be remembered among those who lived and died in the service of others. It’s the same award that would be given to a sworn officer on the force who acted with the same heroism, Suttles said.
Atascadero Mayor Charles Borbeau also attended the ceremony and said the community felt the loss with the family and thanked residents for their support. City Councilmembers Susan Funk, Heather Newsom and Seth Peek also attended the event, along with Mayor Pro Tem Mark Dariz.
Young boy dreamed of becoming police officer
Orozco and her husband, Francisco Gutiérrez, were in Mexico at the time of the ceremony but had family members Facetime them in.
Maria Contreras, José’s aunt, also read a statement in both Spanish and English that Orozco said she wrote “with tears in my eyes,” thanking the Police Department for the honor.
“He would dream, and always said, that when he grew up, he was going to be a police officer and help all the people and the entire community, a dream that now you are all fulfilling,” Orozco said in her statement. “It makes me feel proud of my son, José. With a mother’s heart, I thank you for making this dream come true. José couldn’t fulfill his dream here on Earth, but I’m more than sure that in heaven, he is very happy and honored for everything you all are doing.”
Teresa Gutiérrez, another aunt, told The Tribune in Spanish that José said he wanted to be a police officer no matter what. His grandmother and mother would warn José of the dangers of being on the force and tell him that they wanted him to be safe, but he held his ground. He wanted to help people.
The boy he saved — José’s best friend — also attended the ceremony. The 4-foot-tall boy leaned on his parents as they held him, crying with his hair covering his face. The boy spent several minutes writing in a memory book displayed at a nearby table.
Contreras told The Tribune the family is taking life day by day but appreciate all the support from their family and community in both Mexico and Atascadero.
“It’s hard because there’s not a day that can go by that we don’t think about him every day, every minute,” Contreras said, adding that José was close with his family, especially his cousins, who have all been greatly impacted by the loss.
Contreras said when she first heard that the Police Department planned to honor José, she went through a lot of emotions.
“We are happy, yet we are sad. Sad because he’s not here himself to receive it, but happy that as small as he was, he saved his best friend’s life,” Contreras said. “His biggest dream was to become a police officer and help people. And now he’s received this medal of honor, and it’s amazing. These are happy tears.”
The Bible quote the Police Department chose for the plaque, written in Spanish, was John 15:30, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
When Contreras first read the quote, she said she got chills. It fit perfectly.
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 10:23 AM.
