Villa Park Family Mourns 4-Year-Old Killed in Accident : Tragedy: Young lemonade salesman darted into street and was hit by a passing car.

VILLA PARK —  Timothy Doyle woke up Sunday morning and set out to find the largest lemons on the family’s tree. After mixing up a batch of sweet lemonade, he and his older brothers set up a stand and thirsty neighbors and passersby were soon paying 25 cents a cup.

Joan Doyle says she never had time to find out what 4-year-old Timothy planned to do with his share of profits from the brisk lemonade sales. Her son darted into the street about 5 p.m., as dusk was approaching, and was struck and killed by a passing car.

“I don’t know how it happened, it all happened so quick,” said Doyle, who has six surviving children, aged 2 to 18. “I’m not sure what he was doing, maybe a cup blew away and he was trying to clean it up. His brother yelled at him to stop but it was too late.”

Motorist Susie Avila, 20, was believed to be driving within the speed limit and was not cited, officials said. An investigation is ongoing. Doyle on Monday said she has no ill will toward Avila.

“I was standing with the driver after it happened, and she was just distraught,” Doyle said. “It was getting dark, there were a lot of shadows. She never saw him. I have an 18-year-old son, and it could have just as easily been him” behind the wheel.

Now, Doyle said, she has no room in her heart for anger, just sadness over her loss.

“I think I would be more angry if (Avila) was driving carelessly, but I don’t think anyone thinks she was even speeding,” Doyle said. “I don’t know, maybe the anger hasn’t hit me yet.”

It was a perfect, sunny day for that traditional childhood endeavor: selling homemade lemonade. Timothy, his two older brothers and their father spent most of the afternoon outside, trying to drum up business, she said. The boy’s father stepped inside to fill up the lemonade container when, suddenly, the day turned tragic.

On Monday, friends and relatives gathered to remember Timothy.

“He woke up and saw a really big lemon and said ‘Hey! We can sell lemonade!’ And they did. They had lots of buyers,” Joan Doyle recalled. “He was your typical rambunctious 4-year-old, but he was also a real sweetheart. We will miss him very much. We are all so sad today.”

A vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Brown Colonial Mortuary in Santa Ana. The funeral is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Norbert Catholic Church in Orange.

Doyle said she is relying on her Catholic faith to get her through the most difficult moment of her life.

“I just think this was part of God’s plan, but I’m so sorry I lost my child,” the homemaker said quietly. “We have lots of family and friends who are with us now.”