HOUSTON – An innocent man is dead after deputies said a car racing another one going nearly 100 miles per hour crashed into him Thursday.
Deputies said the incident happened on Cutten Road near Cypress Creek Parkway in northwest Harris County around 6:45 p.m.
According to investigators, a Dodge Charger driven by Jarrod Mikel, 30, was racing another car when it hit the back of a Ford F-150 truck, pushing it into a building pillar and killing the driver. The victim has been identified as 36-year-old Fidel Juarez. Mikel is expected to appear before a judge Friday afternoon.
Mikel and the passenger were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, deputies said.
Mikel is facing several charges and could face up to 20 years in prison. Authorities are still looking for the driver of the other vehicle. Investigators say they have a good lead on the second suspect.
“We got yet another death on our road,” Sean Teare with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said. “Anytime that someone loses their life in a crash, it’s tragic.”
“These are the things that happen when people decide to use cars as toys,” Teare continued.
As for the other driving that was racing, Teare has this to say: “The absolute best thing that person can do is turn themselves in.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Harris County Sheriff’s Office.