Good Samaritan killed while trying to help stranded driver, officials say

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas –  A man accused of committing a murder in the parking lot of a Montgomery County restaurant is behind bars, officials said.

Pete Figueroa Jr., 49, called the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department around 12:21 a.m. Saturday to report that he saw a vehicle without a front tire traveling north on Interstate Highway 69 Frontage Road near North Park Drive.

During the call, Figueroa said the vehicle pulled into the back parking lot of the Captain D’s restaurant, and he was going to offer his help to the driver, authorities said.

Authorities suspect Figueroa likely agreed to provide a courtesy ride, but he called the Sheriff’s Department again to notify them that Rodriguez-Valtierra was acting oddly. 

Authorities said that when they arrived to Captain D’s restaurant, they found Figueroa dead in the front passenger seat of the car.

Rodriguez-Valtierra fled, but authorities caught up to him and arrested him at 7:45 p.m. Friday, investigators said.

Rodriguez-Valtierra faces murder charges and authorities say that because he is an illegal immigrant, he will be held in jail by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency without bail.