He was killed by a suspected drunk driver. Kennewick will make sure he’s not forgotten

It’s been nearly a year since Leo Birrueta was killed at a busy Kennewick intersection.

Birrueta was riding his moped on Clearwater Avenue when Katie Summers slammed into him as she was making a left turn onto Edison Street. Summers, a Richland fitness instructor, was allegedly drunk and high at the time, police said.

In the days following the 31-year-old Kennewick man’s death, his family and friends built a roadside memorial to remember him. They said he was the type of man who would give his shirt to people in need and was willing to forgive anyone.

They wanted a memorial that they hoped would warn others about what suspected drunk driving cost them.

Now, with the help of the city of Kennewick, they have a way to remember him, and ask others not to do drink and drive.

Family members approached the city shortly after Birrueta’s death to ask about creating a program similar to what the state’s Department of Transportation allows on state highways and interstates. Until now, the city never had a method to put up similar signs, said Evelyn Lusignan, Kennewick spokeswoman.

City officials wanted to help them, and started creating a way for people to buy the signs to put up alongside the road.

After several meetings with the city council, officials put together a plan that the council approved earlier this year.

Kennewick has between two and five fatalities each year linked to drunk drivers, officials said. The program gives people a chance to remember their loved ones.

“The signs also serve as stark reminders to motorists and their passengers of the responsibility shared by everyone to drive safely and sober,” the city posted on its website.

How the program works

The request for a memorial sign needs to come in writing from a member of the victim’s immediate family, and they’ll be put as close as possible to where the crash occurred.

The signs and the memorial placard cost $500 and will be up for five years. Once they’re taken down, the person’s family can ask for the signs.

While the program started because of a suspected drunk driver, people can choose other messages to remember their loved ones, including:

• Don’t drink and drive
• Please drive safely
• Please buckle up
• Watch for riders
• Watch for pedestrians
• Watch for highway workers

Along with the message, a placard below them says who is being remembered.

Anyone looking for information about the program can call Kennewick Public Works at 509-585-4419.

Birrueta’s family and friends were happy about having a sign up while they wait for a resolution from the court. Summers continues to face charges of vehicular homicide and hit-and-run in Benton County Superior Court. She is scheduled to go to trial in September.

“It’s obviously a tragedy,” Lusignan said. “It’s a way for the family to honor their loved ones and as a reminder about driving safely.”