Anthony Yates
Authorities have arrested a teen who allegedly ran over his brother during a road rage incident with a third party. His brother was fatally injured in the collision.
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What happened: The Yuma Police Department posted a news release about the altercation, which happened near a Starbucks parking lot. The incident occurred on September 13 at around 7:57 PM.
- Authorities responded to reports of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive 17-year-old at the scene. Emergency services attempted to render aid, but later pronounced him deceased.
- Investigators believe the altercation started as a road rage incident involving three people. “During the altercation, the 17-year-old juvenile was struck by the vehicle driven by the 19-year-old male,” the release reads.
- The news release identifies the driver as Juan Figueroa. Officers arrested and booked him for DV 1st degree murder and 1st degree attempted murder. The police department also identified the victim as Javier Figueroa. The other person, a 36-year-old male, was questioned and released.
Many Details About The Road Rage Incident Remain Unclear
A fight turned deadly: The news release does not mention the relationship between the teenagers, but a report by KYMA confirms they are brothers. The outlet also shares excerpts from a probable cause statement, which sheds more light on what happened.
- The statement reportedly explains that the 36-year-old claimed Javier got out of the car and threatened him with a knife. Authorities confirmed they did find a knife at the scene, but could not determine the owner. The 36-year-old reportedly said he got into a fight with Javier.
- Per KYMA, Juan, claimed that he saw his brother get punched in the face during the fight. He tried to hit the 36-year-old with his car, but collided with his brother instead.
- According to FOX 8, many details about the incident remain unclear. Authorities noted that no cameras were pointing at the location where the fight occurred. The outlet reveals that the teen’s father, Joseph Figueroa, claimed the man was chasing his sons in a car before the incident. He alleged his sons called him, saying a driver was trying to hit their vehicle.
- Per FOX 8, the brothers were inseparable. “I’m trying to bury one son and bail the other one. I need to know the truth, so I can help him,” Joseph said. A family friend has set up a GoFundMe to collect funds for “funeral expenses, memorial arrangements, and immediate support” for the family.
