A former Ray High School student was booked into the Nueces County Jail early Tuesday morning on charges of Racing on Highway causing Serious Bodily Injury or Death.
According to an arrest affidavit, Juan Cortez III was driving the blue Ford Mustang reportedly involved in a street race with a white Chevrolet Camaro near Whataburger Field on May 31.
Police said that crash killed Ray seniors Matthew Garcia and Marcello Saldua.
The affidavit states Cortez, Saldua, Garcia, and Hector Martinez — the driver of the Camaro — had attended Ray's graduation rehearsal at the American Bank Center. On their way back to school, the 18-year-old teen drivers agreed to race each other.
Cortez had two passengers in his car during the race, and Martinez had three, including Saldua and Garcia.
One of the passengers reportedly told officers that as the cars passed some train tracks near Whataburger Field, Cortez honked three times and the cars accelerated. Martinez then lost control of his Camaro when E. Port Avenue curved.
Martinez's car was going 98 mph half a second before the crash, according to the affidavit.
Cortez is being held on a $30,000 bond
