A high-speed pursuit last week that ended in the death of a Kingsburg man has left a community to mourn and two young children without a father. On Nathan Skaret's MySpace page, friends left their goodbyes. Linda Simmons, wife of Skaret's best friend, Brian Simmons, wrote, "I will miss you more than I can say. My heart breaks today for you and the girls. All my love to you... one of the funniest, loyal and loving friends I have ever had. You were like a brother to Brian and me. Thanks for all the laughs."

Brian Simmons grew up across the street from Skaret and the two remained close into adulthood.

"I am honored to be able to call myself one of Nate's best friends," Brian Simmons wrote. "He was about as loyal a guy as you could find. He loved his girls with everything he had, and wanted nothing but the best for them. Of all the great things about Nate, the thing that I will miss the most was his sense of humor and ability to make me laugh."

During his drive home from work from Frito Lay in Visalia Sept. 2, Skaret, 31, of Kingsburg, was pulled over by California Highway Patrol officers for expired registration vehicle tags. In an alleged attempt to evade California Highway Patrol officers, he was reportedly traveling as fast as 100 mph on Highway 99 before he crashed into a eucalyptus tree.

"It's not unusual for someone to go that fast," said Scott Harris, CHP public information officer, about someone evading officers. "Very few end in fatality. A vast-majority end with no injury."

Harris said in this area, high-speed chases are fairly common, with about two or three per month.

"In most cases, the driver usually stops," Harris said. "Sometimes they stop and give up or try on foot. They usually end up getting caught one way or another."

During the pursuit, Skaret was said to be speeding on Highway 99, then briefly through the city of Kingsburg to return onto the highway. Just south of Avenue 384, Skaret's vehicle drove head first into the 6-foot-diameter eucalyptus tree.

Skaret was pinned in the driver's seat of the vehicle, which had major damage. Officers attempted to free Skaret, who was unresponsive.

Skaret is survived by daughters, Caitlin and Hailee of Fresno.

Skaret was a 1995 graduate of Kingsburg High School where he played trumpet in the band and was on the soccer and tennis teams. He attended College of the Sequoias, California State University, Fresno and National University. Friends and family of Skaret say they may never know the entire story about the events that led to his death, but rather than focusing on how he died, they are remembering the way he lived.

His parents, Wayne and Sandy Skaret, who both spent many years as teachers in Kingsburg, remember their son's sense of humor and spirit.

"His daughters were the center of his world and brought intense joy to his life, whether giggling and wrestling on the floor or reading their favorite storybook together before bedtime," said Sandy Skaret.

On his MySpace page, Skaret described his daughters, Caitlin and Hailee, as beautiful, intelligent and mischievous.

"My daughters' smiles, hugs and kisses are the things that I look forward to most every day," he said.

A candlelight vigil planned by Skaret's friends will be held at 8 p.m. tonight at Memorial Park. Services will begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 at Kingsburg Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Kingsburg Community Church. An educational fund has been established for Skaret's daughters at Educational Employees Credit Union.