Beloved Barber Killed in Scooter Accident

This article was first published at 2:36 p.m. Aug. 28 and updated at 3:32 p.m. Aug. 28 to include information below about an award Walt Smith had received from the Murrieta Police Department in March.

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A small group of family and friends gathered Wednesday at Walt’s Old Town Barber Shop in Historic Downtown Murrieta, struggling to make sense of a tragic accident Tuesday that took the barber’s life.

“Everybody knew him,” said Steven Chea, owner of Vista Donuts. “This is very sad, it is a shock to everybody.”

Walter Leslie Smith Jr., 62, was fatally injured while riding his Suzuki scooter Tuesday near Bonsall when he tried to avoid a car whose driver ran a stop sign in front of him, authorities said.

Smith, wearing a helmet, was headed south on Old River Road on a 2009 Suzuki Burgman 650 at about 40-45 mph when the crash occurred about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection with Little Gopher Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol and the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

A 20-year-old Vista man driving a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier at about 20-25 mph west on Little Gopher Canyon Road ran a stop sign at the intersection and entered the scooter's path, the CHP reported.

Smith applied his brakes and was thrown from the scooter. He landed in the roadway and became pinned under the front of the Cavalier, authorities said.

Smith was airlifted to Palomar Medical Center, where he was declared dead about 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.

The Cavalier's driver, whose name was not immediately released, was not arrested and was uninjured, according to CHP officials, who said alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Family, Friends in Shock

A “Sorry, We’re Closed” sign hung Wednesday from the shop window at 24840 Washington Avenue.

Ron Smith, Walt’s older brother of two years, was among those gathered at the Murrieta barber shop, trying to make sense of it.

Ron said he had just seen his brother four days ago. He couldn’t recall when Walt became a barber, but knew he’d been doing it “forever.”

“I was in the military for a long time and when I got out, he was cutting hair,” Ron said.

When Walt first starting working in Historic Downtown Murrieta, he worked for someone else. He quickly gained a devoted clientele, and at one point bought the original owner out, his brother said.

Although Walt had a home in Lake Elsinore, Ron explained that his brother had lived with a long-time girlfriend for about 17 years in Vista.

Ron said Walt enjoyed riding his scooter. Though Ron had given his brother a car three years ago, he said Walt still preferred that mode of transportation.

“It made him feel free,” Ron said. “He would freeze his butt off in the mornings, but he still loved it.”

Family members such as Walt’s son, daughter-in-law and only grandson were also among those gathered at the shop.

Chea, who had worked next door to Walt for six years when the shop was located adjacent to the doughnut store—Walt relocated across the street in October 2012—said he learned of the tragedy when he came to the shop Wednesday to get his hair cut.

“My mom passed away Monday and Walt didn’t know yet,” Chea said. “I was coming here to get a haircut today and tell him about my mom...I walked over here and I found out.”

A Caring Soul

Smith's caring went beyond the barber chair.

In March, Smith was one of two citizens presented a Chief’s Citation from Murrieta police Chief Mike Baray for an incident in which the barber was credited with saving a life.

Smith called police out of concern one day when a regular customer of his appeared despondent—possibly even suicidal. Based on Smith’s call, dispatchers were able to locate a Murrieta address for the man, according to Murrieta police Lt. Rob Firmes.

“(Officers) found him in his room,” Firmes said. “He was lying in his bed...he had a gun pointed at his head and was just seconds away from pulling the trigger. They talked with him, talked him out of it and saved him.”

The responding officers, Heather Adams and David Hernandez, also received Chief’s Citations for their handling of the call.

Family members said Wednesday that Smith's award plaque was displayed prominently in the shop.