A 25-year-old runner died Sunday after collapsing just short of the Carlsbad Half Marathon finish line, where on-site medics began CPR and paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, authorities and race organizers said.
The man was identified by relatives as Andres Aguilar of San Diego. His death turned a coastal race morning into a public-safety incident now under review by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. City officials said nine race participants were transported to hospitals during the event, eight of them within a tight midmorning window, while organizers described a layered medical plan along the 13.1-mile course. No criminal investigation is underway, and officials emphasized the cause and manner of death will be determined by the medical examiner after an autopsy and lab tests.
Aguilar collapsed near the finish chute off Marron Road late Sunday morning as crowds thickened around the course’s final turns. Medics stationed at the line initiated resuscitation efforts within moments, according to race staff, and additional crews converged from nearby first-aid tents. He was transported by ambulance to Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside and pronounced dead before noon. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of a runner who suffered a medical emergency near the finish line of the Carlsbad Half Marathon,” said Meg Treat, speaking for race producer In Motion Events. Family members said Aguilar had trained for his first half marathon and ran with coworkers, maintaining a steady pace through much of the race before the collapse.
City officials said the morning saw a cluster of medical transports around 10 a.m., with nine total participants taken to hospitals by ambulance over the course of the event. Organizers outlined the race-day medical posture: four ambulances staged on the route, two first-aid stations, roughly two dozen roaming CPR-certified race guards and a finish-area team that included an emergency room nurse, an EMT supervisor/paramedic, an EMT supervisor and 11 EMTs. Dozens of other runners were evaluated at on-site tents for dehydration, cramps and minor injuries and did not require transport, officials said. The Medical Examiner’s Office noted the case involves a witnessed cardiac arrest, with a final ruling pending.
Relatives described Aguilar as the middle of three brothers who grew up in San Antonio before moving to San Diego two years ago for work. He spent free time kayaking and snorkeling in La Jolla, hiking local trails and running neighborhood loops, they said. The Carlsbad race, which invites thousands each January, follows an ocean-view stretch of Carlsbad Boulevard before turning inland toward The Shoppes at Carlsbad, where finish-line crowds and music typically build through late morning. Spectators near the chute said the medical response appeared immediate, with medics already inside the fenced corridor as additional units arrived within minutes.
The Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon is among the region’s longest-running road races, drawing a mix of elite runners and first-timers to a fast, largely flat course. The city issues road-closure notices, deploys police and firefighters and coordinates staged ambulances as part of a joint plan with the private organizer. Weather along the coast was seasonal during the race window, officials said, with no advisory-level heat or wind reported. Organizers said they will conduct their customary after-action review with city partners, examining transport timing, ambulance positioning and any communications bottlenecks near the finish corridor.
Officials said the next formal steps include the medical examiner’s autopsy and toxicology testing, followed by the release of the cause and manner of death when results are complete. In Motion Events said it will compile a detailed incident timeline from radio logs, medic notes and transport records and provide a summary to the city. No policy changes have been announced. If adjustments are recommended—such as repositioning gurney teams, widening the finish chute or adding additional roaming medics—organizers said they would be considered ahead of next year’s race permitting process. Funeral plans for Aguilar have not been announced.
Neighbors near the mall described sirens and quick-moving emergency crews as runners streamed past spectators and cowbells. “It got very quiet when people realized something serious was happening,” said a spectator who watched from behind the barricades. A volunteer race guard who asked to be identified by first name said the finish area is staffed for exactly this kind of emergency. “Everyone snapped into their role—compressions, airway, transport prep,” the volunteer said. “It was all hands.” Friends and coworkers of Aguilar gathered Monday evening to share memories and support his family as they awaited official findings.
As of late Monday, city officials said there were no additional hospitalizations tied to the event beyond the nine reported on race day. The medical examiner’s ruling will be the next milestone and could take several weeks. Organizers said they expect to complete their internal review on a similar timetable and will brief city partners once that is finished.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.