Well-known mechanic in Grand Am and ALMS killed
12/19/08
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| Eduardo Cademartori hugs friends Courtney Ford, left, and Cam Amici during happier times in DeLand. Cademartori, who was in Wisconsin for training with the race-car team he worked for, was severely beaten in downtown Madison, Wis. Police have arrested two men, and are looking for a third. |
| Cam Amici |
The son of a local artist died earlier this week after he was beaten by three men in Wisconsin, officials said. Eduardo Cademartori, a 27-year- old successful race car mechanic who was raised in the San Gabriel Valley, died Tuesday at a hospital after being assaulted Sunday while leaving a Madison, Wis., bar, Madison police officials and family members said.
His father, Hector Cademartori of La Verne, CA is a renowned painter of race cars and motorcycles.
"He was a delightful, happy, really nice kid," said Hector Cademartori. "He was a wonderful young man."
Two men were arrested in connection with the attack, officials said.
Eduardo Cademartori moved to Wisconsin a week before the attack to begin a new job working on a race car prototype for a company called Level Five Motorsports, his father said.
Hector Cademartori said Eduardo was thrilled about the new opportunity.
"He talked about how excited he was to go to Madison," Hector said.
Eduardo Cademartori was involved in an altercation at a bar shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday and left the establishment, Madison police officials said in a written statement.
He had walked about a block when he was attacked by three suspects, police said.
He was struck in the head and hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
"He was hit from behind," his father said.
"Basically, it was a brain-dead situation. Unfortunately, Eduardo had no hope for recovery."
Family members made the decision Tuesday to take Eduardo off life support and donate his organs.
"We felt that that would be the best way to get something positive out of this unnecessary situation," Hector Cademartori said.
Roynell T. Fuller, 19, of Madison and Ross W. Spang, 22, of Madison were initially booked on suspicion of substantial battery, Madison police officials said.
After Eduardo Cademartori died, the charges against the men were upgraded to homicide, Madison Police Department Sgt. Rachael Peterson said. A third suspect in the attack remains at large, she said.
Hector Cademartori said racing was his son's lifelong passion.
Since Hector is a well-known motorsports painter, Eduardo has "always been surrounded by race cars and motorcycles," the father said.
Eduardo Cademartori was born in Argentina and moved to West Covina with his family as a baby, his father said.
A few years later, the Cademartori family moved to La Verne, where Hector Cademartori currently resides.
After graduating from Damien High School in La Verne, Eduardo Cademartori worked for racing teams in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Baltimore and Daytona before taking his last job in Madison, Hector Cademartori said.
The father said that while the family is mourning the loss of Eduardo, they are also celebrating his life.
"(He) lived an absolute storybook life," Hector Cademartori said. "He enjoyed every minute of it. He was so happy, we should be happy for him."
A service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 435 Berkeley Ave., Claremont. WhittierDailyNews