Friends and family of Cal Poly industrial engineering junior Matthew Hurlbutt are mourning his death after he was killed by a truck early Sunday morning.
Hurlbutt was walking on the 101 Highway near the Santa Rosa Street exit when he was struck by a driver in a Toyota Tacoma. In a press release, CHP Investigating Officer Victor Sanchez said the driver was going about 65 mph and could not avoid hitting Hurlbutt. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Hurlbutt’s neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said Hurlbutt had been drinking in a downtown San Luis Obispo bar before the collision.
“Matt was downtown with his roommates at Native; he was pretty drunk and disappeared.” he said.
One of Hurlbutt’s co-workers from the grocery store Albertson’s, Wes Bracken,22, said the last time that he saw Hurlbutt was during their shift late Saturday night. Hurlbutt had invited him to go to several bars downtown with him that night, but Bracken declined.
“Later that night, I got a text from him asking me if I wanted to go downtown with him, and I told him I couldn’t really afford going to the bars again, as these last few weeks have been hitting me hard in the bank,” Bracken said. “It’s rather difficult knowing that I could have been with him that night. I understand it’s not my fault, but at the same time, you can’t help wondering, ‘What if?'”
Bracken said he was shocked when he heard the next day that Hurlbutt had been killed. He had known Hurlbutt for two years and has now found it difficult to return to work.
“It is very hard to put such an event in the back of one’s mind, but still I try to do so as much as possible. In such a small town as this, and given the fact that we worked together, it is hard not to come across someone who knew him or something that reminds you of him,” Bracken said. “I have yet to return to work since the incident, but I have a shift tomorrow and I know it’s going to be difficult because everyone’s emotions are running high right now as all of us at Albertson’s knew Matt. I just know it’ll be nice to go through this experience with my co-workers by my side.”
Cal Poly journalism junior Adriene Henderson said she received a phone call from a mutual friend about the incident Sunday night. She first met Hurlbutt a year and a half ago and had worked with him at Albertson’s.
“I was in complete shock,” Henderson said. “I couldn’t speak and I couldn’t make sense of it, and shortly after I lost it and just started to cry. I woke up this morning and for a second I thought it was just a bad dream, but then reality hit, and my heart just aches for him and for his family and friends.”
The last time she saw Hurlbutt was Saturday night, and she described him as always having a smile on his face and incredibly charismatic.
Cal Poly wine and viticulture senior Catie Hutch recalled Hurlbutt’s positive attitude since she first met him while living in Mustang Village.
Hurlbutt’s passing marks the second Cal Poly student death this academic year. A Facebook group entitled, “Matthew Hurlbutt, RIP our friend our love,” has been created to share pictures and memories about Hurlbutt. The group currently has more than 600 members.
Investigations are pending. The San Luis Obispo Sheriff-Coroner’s office is expected to release more information later this week.