After their daughter was hit and killed four months ago, Josh Nagler and his wife have filed a claim against the city of San Rafael.
When Aura Celeste Machado, 17, was out jogging, she stepped onto the roadway to get around a tree that had fallen onto the sidewalk. She was then hit and killed.
“Grief is an unusual animal that I’ve never had to endure before,” Nagler said. “This was not something that had to happen. It didn't have to happen and yet it did in one of the most pristine parts of our country.”
The family's attorney said a neighbor asked the city to remove dead trees from the area on at least two times before the fatal accident. He claims the tree that fell was infected with an invasive insect that weakened it.
Nagler said they are doing their best to move forward in a productive way, which means taking steps to protect others.
“She had her goals for working out written on the big white board in the room,” Nagler said. “She studied when she was supposed to, she always made the honor roll…she was the most talented, warm presence in our family."
