An East Bay teen was reported missing on New Year's Day and six days later, his body was found along Highway 4 in Concord. Investigators believe he was hit and killed, but the teen’s family says the facts just aren’t adding up.
“I came and the tire was flat. The car was off at the time,” said Damond Lazenby Sr. “We did a tremendous search. We did several searches.”
Several searches for his son, 19-year-old Damond Lazenby Jr.
His body was discovered just off the highway between Port Chicago Highway and Willow Pass Road.
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Investigators believe he was hit by a car, but his family’s convinced this was not a hit-and-run.
They said they had searched the area but his body wasn’t there.
“Why would he be hit by a car and not be on the side of the road or anything like that,” said Lazenby Sr. “And his body wasn’t there at a certain time, and then the body appears.”
His grandmother, Zelma Johnson said, “I really need answers because saying that he was hit by a car and then found several days later, what happened between the 31st and the 7th? That is a puzzle and we’d like to get some answers.”
Lazenby Sr. said his son did have a flat tire on New Year’s Eve night. He was on the phone with him that day.
So, “if it was an accident why not come forward and say, this is what happened?” he said.
He said the answer to that question is the closure he needs because he’s already lost so much.
“My everything. He’s my son, he’s my world, he’s my best friend and now he’s no longer here,” said Lazenby Sr. “That hurts to the bone.”
The CHP said the teen’s injuries were consistent with being hit by a car. But they couldn’t provide further information as the case is still under investigation.
They’re still searching for a vehicle they believe hit Lazenby Jr. It’s possibly a dark-colored sedan with damage to the right front side.
Anyone with information is urged to call the CHP.
