Vigil held for 15-year-old hit-and-run victim in Porterville 1 year after he was killed

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- A South Valley teen was remembered on Saturday, a year after he was hit and killed by a drunk driver while riding his bike.

Family and friends gathered at Westwood and Olive in Porterville, where 15-year-old Jayden Arias was killed.

Jayden was on his way to meet with friends when his life was tragically taken.

The suspected DUI driver is 23-year-old Harvey Jacobo, who is awaiting trial.

RELATED: 15-year-old killed by hit-and-run driver in Porterville, police say

Investigators say after Jacobo hit Jayden, he drove off.

Officers tracked him down to his home about 5 miles away from the scene.

On Saturday, Jayden's mom Jessica Miranda returned to the crash site for the first time.

Miranda says the last year of her life has been a nightmare and returning to the scene is soul-crushing.

She cannot stress enough that drivers should make responsible decisions.

"Don't drink and drive ever. Not on any occasion. You can call an Uber now, there are many things that you can do," she says.

Jayden was a sophomore at Porterville High School and loved to play basketball.

Miranda says he enjoyed riding his bike around town.

He loved his family and constantly expressed that to them.

Jacobo is currently being held at the Tulare County Jail.

Officers say he has been arrested for driving under the influence in the past.

The pandemic postponed Jacobo's trial, but it is scheduled to resume this month.