Last Saturday, a high-speed crash on Almeda Genoa Road claimed the life of an 18-year-old male passenger. The incident involved a blue Dodge Charger driven by 18-year-old Ruben X. Mendoza and occurred around 4:55 a.m., with the passenger’s identity pending confirmation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, according to the City of Houston.
The crash followed a pursuit initiated by Harris County Precinct 2 deputies, who observed Mendoza driving erratically and at high speed. Mendoza reportedly turned off his headlights and ignored deputies’ emergency signals, leading to the fatal collision, after which he was charged with murder, as reported by the City of Houston.
Mendoza exited the tollway at high speed, ran several red lights, and his vehicle hit a raised intersection at Blackhawk Road and Almeda Genoa Road, went airborne, and struck a tree on the driver's side. The passenger died, and Mendoza was seriously injured and hospitalized. He is under arrest, and the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division, including Sergeant D. Hall and Officer C. Sartor, is investigating. The case is being handled in the 184th Criminal District Court, as stated by the City of Houston.
