by San Jose Man Killed in Early Morning Hit-and-Run Police Say Was Intentional
Just before sunrise on Wednesday, the quiet stillness of a San Jose business park was shattered by a disturbing sound—a heavy thud echoing through the rows of parked cars illuminated by dim security lights.
A passerby made the chilling discovery: a man lying motionless beside his vehicle in the parking lot on the 1700 block of Southwest Expressway. What was supposed to be the start of a regular workday ended in tragedy.
When police arrived, they found the man unconscious and unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
In the days that followed, detectives reviewed surveillance footage and license plate reader data to unravel what happened. Their investigation led them to 45-year-old Jaime Cruz Castanon. By Thursday, Castanon was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of murder. According to police, the act was not accidental—they believe the victim was intentionally run over.
The incident has left a deep impact on the local community of early-morning workers. What seemed like a safe and routine place—where people simply park, head to work, and go about their day—has now become a site of shock and grief.
Neighbors, who once exchanged casual greetings, now gather in quiet conversations, wondering what could have driven someone to commit such violence.
As the investigation continues, those who knew the victim are left mourning not just a life lost, but the abrupt and senseless way it ended. He wasn’t just another name in a police report—he was someone with plans, routines, and people who cared about him. Now, in the soft light of morning, they remember him for who he was, even as they search for answers that may never fully come.
