A San Jose city electrician was killed while repairing a streetlight Tuesday morning after a box truck struck the bucket truck he was working from, leaving his family seeking answers about how the collision happened.
Ari Green, 50, was working from an elevated bucket on a San Jose Department of Transportation truck near Hillsdale Avenue and Narvaez Avenue on Aug. 25 when the crash occurred.
San Jose police said officers were called to the area at about 10:29 a.m. Their preliminary investigation found that a white 2018 Isuzu box truck traveling west on Hillsdale Avenue struck a parked white 2022 Ford F-550 bucket truck along the north curb.
Green was in the extended bucket when the collision happened. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police identified the incident as San Jose’s 30th traffic-related death of 2026 at the time of their initial announcement.
Family remembers Green for his work and kindness
For Green’s family, the crash has left grief alongside unanswered questions.
His sister, Cindy Gallegos, said Green took pride in his work as an electrician. His job included repairing streetlights, including lights that had been damaged after copper wire theft, according to his family.
“Ari loved being an electrician. He did his job to keep people safe,” Gallegos said.
She also remembered the small routines that made her brother part of everyday family life. Green regularly called his siblings, sent them pictures and ended his conversations by telling them he loved them.
Now, those calls are among the things his family misses most.
“He was always a hugger,” Gallegos said. “And he always called and we would make fun of him, but now I want him to call because he always ended every call with, ‘I love you.'”
Investigation into the crash continues
The box truck driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to police. The department’s initial release did not announce an arrest or identify the driver publicly.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation.
Gallegos said the family wants to understand what happened before the truck struck Green’s work vehicle.
“We still don’t know why it happened,” she said. “We just want to know why. Why did I lose my brother?”
Retired Irvine Police Detective Jonathan Cherney, who specializes in roadway collisions, said investigators generally need to examine the vehicles, gather available electronic data and interview people involved before determining whether a driver’s actions could support criminal charges.
A separate workplace-safety investigation is also underway through Cal/OSHA.
Green’s family remembers the life he built
Green had worked for the City of San Jose Department of Transportation since 2022, according to a family fundraiser established after his death.
His family said he leaves behind several siblings and an 80-year-old mother whom he had been helping financially.
The fundraiser was created to help with funeral expenses and support for his mother following his death.
As his family gathered to mourn him, Gallegos said she has been holding onto the ordinary moments that now carry much greater meaning — a text from her brother, a hug and the simple words “I love you.”
For Green’s family, those memories remain while investigators work to determine exactly what led to the crash.
