By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – It’s been more than a decade since a Tucson man lost his life after being hit on an ATV.
Read more New York’s governor says state’s AG will oversee Cornell rape investigation
And the person responsible, is still free.
“Just the life of every party that he was in. Everybody loved him. He had a lot of friends. He was an avid ATV rider. He loved being out there every Sunday,” says Bernadette Jaramillo, Joshua Gradillas’ sister.
Joshua Gradillas would have been turning 40 years old this month.
His friends and family describe him as a family man, who always offered some comedic relief.
But what happened on July 13th 2014, would change their lives forever.
Joshua went out with some friends who frequently rode their ATVs and off-road vehicles in the desert area between W. Ajo Hwy and W. Valencia Rd.
Because Joshua was injured, he was not planning to ride. But a friend of his wanted Joshua just to quickly test out his newly-fixed quad.
And unfortunately, he did.
“So, yeah, it’s, from what we’re told, as soon as Josh starts going, this razor that had been driving recklessly, or not the razor, the individuals that were in the razor driving recklessly came probably, like, 50 to 60 miles per hour. And he did not have time to turn away or anything, and he just hit him head on. He went flying in the air, and either he hit a rock when he came down, or he hit the handlebars on the ATV. But he ended up getting a severe head injury,” says Jaramillo.
Joshua survived the initial impact.
He fought to recover, but weeks later on august 24th, that fight came to an end.
His death has left behind a trail of unanswered questions that have stayed unanswered for more than a decade.
Read more Energy Department employee arrested on charge of trying to support Iran-backed Houthis
“But there were the occupants of that razor that, one of them got left behind, and he was left behind with a severe leg injury, and also had to be transported to the hospital. But the other three, they took the razor, they loaded it up into the back of a truck and took off. And that razor was never seen again,” says Jaramillo.
The person who was left behind claimed he did not know those who he was riding with and says they just asked him if he wanted to join, and his word was taken as truth.
13 News asked the Pima County Sheriff’s Department where the investigation stands.
They tell us, quote “After leads had been exhausted and the case had been active for one year, there was insufficient evidence to support an arrest. The case will be reopened should new evidence come to light that could support an eligible charge.”
But could the case have been handled differently?
It’s a question that also haunts the family.
“Did they make people sit there? Or did they just take the word of that guy and didn’t really…oh, okay. Well, you don’t know them, so there’s nothing more that we can do. But, I don’t know. I don’t know. That just… I guess that never really sat right with us and the family. Like, did they do everything they could? Um…yeah. I don’t know,” says Jaramillo.
Joshua’s son Joseph was just a toddler at the time of his father’s death.
And Joshua’s mother passed away not seeing justice for her son.
The gaping wound left behind within this family is apparent.
“I think the world now, and especially our family and friends, there’s for sure been an absence. And like i said, our mom never got to find out who was responsible. Our dad’s still, you know, it’s a constant, like, it’s constantly on our minds. Like, who did it? I mean, i guess it’s been so long now, like, i don’t know what consequences can happen. I, yeah, we just don’t know. So that’s why we’re kind of doing this, just to shed light on it again.”
Read more The Other Side of Okay: Constantly Caring
It’s never too late to come forward with information.
If you have any info that can help, please reach out to 88-CRIME.
You can remain anonymous.