Eloi Vasquez, the 19-year-old UC Berkeley model student and athlete who was declared missing on Sunday, is dead. He was hit by a vehicle while running across a freeway.

Mercury News reports that a 2009 Chevy Impala hit him on early Saturday morning. Medics declared him dead at 2:31 a.m. A few minutes before the accident, Vasquez called a friend at about 2:18 a.m. that he was lost and scared.

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At 2:25 a.m., there was a report from Interstate 10 of a man who was hit by a vehicle while running across the freeway. Vasquez left after midnight from a fraternity party near the University of Southern California to go for a walk. He was planning to go to the beach, which Vasquez did not know was miles away.

Since he did not carry any identification or cash, it was difficult to establish who he was. His friends and family met in LA on Sunday to search for him. They even offered a US$100,000 reward for any information that would lead to his location.

His parents were informed of an unidentified young man in the morgue and they went to check if he was their missing son. They recognized him from the clothes he was wearing and a leg brace. To further confirm, authorities cross-checked with his driver's license where he has a fingerprint.

California Highway Patrol Officer Ramberto Salcido said the 45-year-old female driver of the vehicle that hit Vasquez was driving within the speed limit and attempted to swerve when the young man suddenly appeared on her car's path. She remained on the scene and cooperated with police, Salcido said.

Vasquez grew up in Novato and graduated from Marin Academy. He left behind his parents and two younger brothers, ages 16 and 12, who consider him their star player.

He was recovering from a surgery after he tore a collateral knew ligament in December while playing pick-up basketball. The Cal soccer team plans to honor Vasquez at their final spring games on April 29 at the Memorial Stadium.

TagsUC Berkeley, missing student, Eloi Vasquez, accident