Memorial at intersection pays tribute to Kevin Jiang, 9, struck and killed while riding his bike

Visitors to the site where a 9-year-old Irvine boy was struck and killed by a van shared fond memories of him Monday while expressing concern about the intersection where he was hit just three blocks from his elementary school.

Kevin Jiang was riding his bicycle at Roosevelt and Bay Tree in Irvine just after 3 p.m. Friday when the van struck him, authorities said.

The Cypress Village Elementary School fourth-grader and his family had arrived in the United States this year from China.

On Monday, the intersection was the site of a burgeoning roadside memorial. A framed portrait of Kevin, propped against a traffic signal pole, was surrounded by stuffed animals, dozens of bouquets of flowers and hundreds of candles.

Some of the mementos included handwritten notes.

“Thank you for playing handball with me,” one read.

“Kevin, thanks for catching spiders with me and being my lab partner,” another said.

More than 600 people attended a candlelight vigil for Kevin on Sunday night. Posters placed around the neighborhood to announce the vigil described Kevin as “always a happy kid.”

“He loved sports, music and science,” a message on the posters read beneath a photo of the smiling boy. “He’s been learning tae kwon do since 5 and was the pride and joy of his parents.”

Police have released few details about the deadly crash, saying they are still investigating.

They did say the van’s 57-year-old driver remained at the scene and has not been arrested or cited.

After the collision, paramedics took Kevin to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, where he died about a half-hour later, according to authorities.

Three days after the crash, a trickle of mourners stopped at the intersection.

Justin Chung, director of the Maru Academy, a math and English tutoring center in Irvine, said Kevin was one of his clients, visiting the academy every day after school for English lessons. The academy is two blocks from the intersection where Kevin was hit.

“I know him and his family were still becoming familiar with this environment,” Chung said. “He was a very bright boy. Our teachers and our students are very sad he is no longer with us.”

Irvine resident Nikki Delacruz and her two children visited the intersection after school Monday to leave flowers by the traffic light.

“It really hits close to home,” Delacruz said. “My daughter is his age, and you never want to imagine something like this could happen to your child.”

Her 9-year-old daughter, Penny Abundis, was in a reading group with Kevin in a class at Cypress Village Elementary.

“He was very nice,” Penny said. “During reading time, I remember when he drew a snowman with 10 eyes. It made me laugh.” She smiled at the thought.

Hina Hahmud and her two children live in the Cypress Village neighborhood between the elementary school and Jeffrey Trail Middle School. The latter is one block from Roosevelt and Bay Tree.

Hahmud said she walks or drives her 9-year-old daughter to Cypress Village Elementary.

“In the afternoon when these two schools let out, this intersection gets very busy,” Hahmud said. “It’s honestly very dangerous, especially for the kids who are trying to go home.”

Irvine resident Rigel Anderson said he didn’t know Kevin but passes the spot where he was hit every day during his commute.

“This is my drive to work,” he said. “It just resonated with me.”

The intersection now is ringed with signs pleading with motorists to slow down as they pass through.

One sign directly above the memorial reads, “Slow down & pay attention! Our lives are important.”

Cypress Village Elementary plans to plant a tree on campus in January in memory of Kevin, according to Irvine Unified School District spokeswoman Annie Brown.

Brown said crisis counselors are available this week at the school to help support students.

Authorities ask that anyone with information about the crash contact Irvine police traffic Sgt. Matt August at (949) 724-7023.