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A Livermore man died in a solo-vehicle crash earlier this month while vacationing at his family cabin in the town of Arnold in Calaveras County.
Jensen Ybarra, who grew up in Pleasanton and graduated from Amador Valley High School, was pronounced dead at the scene of the fiery nighttime crash on Aug. 15, according to the California Highway Patrol. He was 35.
"Jensen was an incredible human and his loss cannot be understated. He was such a good man and kind person. 1 of 1," friend Marcus Sylva wrote on the GoFundMe page he created to raise money to support Ybarra's widow and 1-year-old son.
Family remembered Ybarra "as an amazing friend, a positive thinker and made it a personal goal to excel, whether at home, play or work," in an obituary posted on Livermore Vine's Lasting Memories page.
Raised in Pleasanton, Ybarra excelled at many sports in his youth, including as a linebacker for the Amador Valley Dons. His passion for sports continued into adulthood, mainly on the golf course in recent years, according to his obituary.
After graduating high school in 2005, he attended California Polytechnic State University and earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture business. He was working as a senior sales director at Supermicro at the time of his death.
Ybarra returned to Pleasanton during his professional career and he and his wife later settled in Livermore. They welcomed their first child in August 2021, according to his obituary. He is also survived by his parents, two sisters and a brother.
The CHP-San Andreas office continues to investigate the crash that killed Ybarra over two weeks ago.
According to the initial CHP report, Ybarra was driving a 2018 Land Rover by himself eastbound on Highway 4 north of Arnold at 9:25 p.m. when he lost control for unknown reasons east of Black Springs Road.
The Land Rover veered to the left at an unknown speed, across the westbound lane and shoulder. "The vehicle then struck a tree and caught fire with the occupant trapped inside. Unfortunately, (Ybarra) sustained fatal injuries as a result of this collision," the CHP stated.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with toxicology testing results still pending, according to Officer Toby Butzler. Officers on scene could not determine if he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the wreck due to the extent of the damage.
The GoFundMe page confirmed Ybarra was spending time at his family cabin in Arnold during the time the fatal crash occurred. The online fundraiser, "Ybarra family fund", had generated just under $190,000 to support the family as of Tuesday night.
A celebration of life for Ybarra is scheduled for Friday (Sept. 2) at 10 a.m. at Graham-Hitch Mortuary in Pleasanton, followed by a reception at noon at Callippe Preserve Golf Course.
