Vehicular-Pedestrian Death of Millikan High School Senior.

Sixteen-year-old Aiden Gossage died after sustaining multiple injuries from a Chevy SUV in a crosswalk at Los Coyotes Diagonal and Deborah Street in East Long Beach on Sept. 4. He was a Long Beach resident and a Millikan High School Senior. Aiden was set to celebrate his 17th birthday on Sept. 24.

According to the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD), officers were dispatched to the intersection of Los Coyotes Diagonal and Deborah Street shortly after 9 p.m. regarding an injury traffic collision, which resulted in the death of a male juvenile. Good Samaritans and officers performed life-saving measures until the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) arrived. Despite their efforts, the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was determined deceased at the scene by LBFD paramedics.

Detectives learned that the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Tracker was traveling southbound on Los Coyotes Diagonal when he struck the teen who was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk.

The driver of the SUV was identified as Kevin Chris Dahl, a 33-year-old resident of the City of Lakewood. He was arrested and booked for gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. Bail was set at $100,000. And he was released the next morning, Sept. 5, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Aiden’s mother, Lily Gossage, is heartbroken and has plans to petition the city for some form of control at that intersection. She said, “That road has a long stretch with a blind curve. Kids come here to drag race. My son is the second to die here. It’s a death trap.”

Besides leaving behind a younger brother and his parents, Aiden also has an extended family. Many of his friends/classmates at the site talked about Aiden in glowing terms; he was an athlete, a surfer and well liked on campus.

Aiden’s father, Greg Gossage, a forensics expert at the LBPD, lamented, “I love my son very much and he was a far better man than me. He was my hero.”

Anyone who may have witnessed this collision or has additional information is asked to contact LBPD Collision Investigation Detective Kevin Matter or Detective Joseph Johnson at (562) 570-7355. Anonymous tips may be submitted through www.LACrimeStoppers.org.