Christopher WIlliams Funeral services for Christopher Williams, 22, will be Fri., Sept. 12 at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Griffin Memorial Park in Westlake Village. The Thousand Oaks resident was killed on Sept. 4 by a flatbed truck that drove onto the Highway 126 median where Williams was picking up litter.

Williams had chosen to do the community service instead of serving a 10day jail sentence for driving with a suspended license due to unpaid speeding tickets.

Two other men with Williams were injured, as were the drivers of the truck and another vehicle the truck hit.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

A corporal in the Marine Corps, Williams was scheduled to begin training in October in preparation for deployment to Iraq next year.

His father died of lung cancer three years ago on the same date Williams was killed, said Diane Verner of Oak Park. Williams and Verner's son, Joey Parks, were close friends for years.

"Williams could not afford to pay for the speeding tickets so he chose community service over prison," Verner said. She called his death senseless.

Nick Haddad met Williams through Verner's son five years ago. The Agoura Hills resident described Williams as having "the biggest heart."

"He's definitely one of those kids you could call at any hour of the day or night. He loved all his friends and considered them his family," Haddad said. "He's missed dearly. We love him and would do anything we can do to let him know how much he meant to us."

The day before he died, Williams visited former teachers at Oak Park High School where he graduated in 2004.

"Chris was a very sensitive young man who was extremely proud to be a Marine reservist," said Randy McLelland, an Oak Park High counselor. "He came back to school regularly after he graduated to update us on how he was doing and to let us see him in his full-dress uniform."

Williams regularly stayed in touch with Patty Pedretti, a former teacher. He spoke with her during his visit to Oak Park.

"He looked the best I've ever seen," Pedretti said.

Williams was an only child. His mother, Susan Williams, lives in Thousand Oaks. She and her son had moved from Oak Park shortly after her husband died.

"I remember Chris as a quiet, kind young man . . . who always shared a warm smile," said Kathy Bowman, an Oak Park English teacher. "I am so very sad about this tragedy."

Tomorrow's services begin at 11 a.m.