Service Announced For Former Lake Elsinore Student Who Died Jumping Into Traffic

A public memorial service has been announced in the name of Darius Porter who on Oct. 21 died after running into I-5 traffic.

The service for Porter, who played basketball for Temescal Canyon High School during his time at the Lake Elsinore campus, will be held Oct. 30 at Lesneski Mortuary, 640 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, Calif., at 2 p.m.

A website has been established to raise funds for Porter's family, with a donation goal of $3,000 to pay for the service and and related costs. At press time, $2,469 have been donated, according to the website.

Heidi Conner, who created the website post for Porter, wrote:

"Darius leaves behind 2 sisters and 2 brothers. As the family attempts to move through this tragedy, we ask for your help in expenses which will go directly to funeral costs, days lost of work and related expenses the family is incurring.... He will be terribly missed always. We Loved and adored him. He was always patient, kind and a gentle giant. Everybody Loved Fro."

Last year, Porter played small forward for Irvine Valley College's Lasers basketball team, where he was listed as a freshman. Before that he attended Temescal Canyon High School in Lake Elsinore. 

At the time of his death, the Orange County coroner's office listed Porter's city of residence as Mission Viejo.

According to the online sports website Max Preps, Porter was a 6'5" forward for the Temescal Canyon Titans basketball team during his senior year, 2009-10, and also served as team captain.

He donned #34 as a Titan and was ranked 496 in the state, according to the website.

Porter's apparent suicide came during rush hour traffic in Orange County. Around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, he first tried to jump in front of a moving vehicle on Marguerite Parkway, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol. After that collision failed to kill him, Porter ran into northbound traffic on I-5, just north of Avery Parkway, in Mission Viejo.