Family Desperately Searches for Missing 27-Year-Old Last Seen Along Highway

A La Quinta family is urgently searching for answers after their loved one, 27-year-old Daniel Hernandez, disappeared a week ago under troubling circumstances.

Hernandez was last seen on December 22 along a highway after being dropped off at a pit stop. Surveillance footage from the Santa Rosa Pit Stop shows some of the final known moments before his disappearance. In the video, Hernandez is seen speaking with a cashier, handing items back and forth, and later exiting the store before walking down the highway.

Now, days later, his family says the uncertainty has been overwhelming. Daniel’s older brother, Eric Patino, says the family has been holding onto hope that Daniel is safe somewhere.

“We just hope the best,” Patino said. “Hopefully he’s okay and well somewhere. We just want him home.”

According to the family, Hernandez had been driven by a friend who was later arrested. Family says later on hernandez was driven and dropped off at a pit stop by officers. However, Hernandez’s phone was not charged, raising concerns for his safety. Patino says the situation is especially frustrating because the area where Daniel was dropped off is not pedestrian-friendly.

“There’s no sidewalks or anywhere to go,” Patino said. “It’s dangerous.”

California Highway Patrol has been contacted to confirm details surrounding the incident and is expected to provide further information. Riverside County records show a name matching Daniel Hernandez appearing in the system on December 22, though details remain limited.

Community members familiar with the highway say walking along the road is extremely dangerous due to speeding traffic, sharp curves, and the lack of a shoulder.

“Pedestrian traffic would not be advised on this road,” one local said. “It’s dangerous to walk the highway.”

The Hernandez family says the disappearance overshadowed what should have been a joyful holiday season, turning Christmas into a painful wait for answers.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Daniel Hernandez is urged to contact the number displayed on screen or reach out to local authorities.