In Memory of David Daniel Parrino

A close family friend was killed by a repeat drunk driver while riding home from work on his motorcycle one night almost 3 years ago. Dave would have turned 28 this week and instead, just last week, the man responsible for causing it was sentenced. You can read more about it here: Closure?

The following is from: OC Register's The Crime Scene

August 06, 2007

Victim impact

Posted on August 6 at 05:45 PM

Before he sentenced Cesar Nieto Camacho, of Dana Point, to 20 years-to-life for killing motorcyclist David D. Parrino in a high-speed, drunk-driving incident, Superior Court Judge M. Marc Kelly listened today to poignant words from Parrino’s parents.

Here is what they had to say:

“A major part of me died with him. I bear the burden everyday of reliving what happened to my one and only son…This is a prime example of an individual who was given a privilege to drive in this state and had total disregard for the thousands of other law-abiding motorists driving on our freeway.” – Tim Parrino, David’s father.

“It torments me that my son died alone and that I wasn’t there in his final moments to comfort him…What parent can ever imagine suffering the loss of a son or a daughter? Watching my son grow and advance in his career, marry and raise a family…all these things have been lost forever and I can never be whole again. –Beverly Parrino, David’s mother.

To read our story on the Camacho sentencing on OCregister.com, click here.
--Larry Welborn

I don't want to write about Dave's death, but rather his life. My mom and his dad worked together when we were little. We didn't really know each other until both of our parents were divorced. Sometime around my 18th birthday we started to become friends too, talking on AIM, going to lunch, and occasionally, I'd hang out with Dave and his fraternity brothers.

Dave worked at a particular retailer and is the reason that on one day in July of 1999 when I walked into one of their stores to buy a new planner for my upcoming first semester of college, I turned in an application at the job fair they were holding to staff their brand new store in Brea. I was hired on the spot wearing a tank top, khaki shorts with sunglasses on my head - it makes me giggle to this day. So just like our parents, Dave and I were working for the same company. Eight years later, I'm still there having been promoted several times (thankfully).

I remember when Dave got his silver Camaro - his dad surprised him with it, so it spent its first night in our garage. (That car was as demon possessed as my Lexus...hmmm maybe it has something to do with the fact that they are both silver?) He drove that car to death (although I think his dad still has it), driving from Fullerton to UCI where he went to school.

My first semester of college I was in a sorority and had a great time, although I dropped out of the sorority after that first semester. Dave was shy and a computer nerd ( we called each other Nerdo and Dorko affectionately - hey, you might as well embrace the facts when you're a geek!). Dave joined a fraternity and made some great friends which he ended up living with for a time. I had an S-10, so I ended up helping him move to a house at the beach.

At that beach house is where Dave invited me to one of his fraternity parties the Friday before my 21st birthday. My friend Colleen went with me and I got buzzed for the first time...I forget exactly what my beverage of choice was that night, but I know that it contained Sprite, because Dave loved Sprite. As a responsible drinker, Colleen and I both stayed the night there sharing Dave's twin bed with him. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that we all slept fairly well...those were the days when we were all a lot more thin!

I miss Dave. He was like my brother and I think of him often.