Like any dad would do, Tom Martinez didn't hesitate to go help his son out with car troubles early Sunday morning.
"I got a call from my son at midnight telling me that he had a flat tire," Martinez recalled. "So I went over to change the tire, and he was there with his friend, Julio."
He recalls that day, telling Action 4 News that he, his son, and 20-year-old Julio Cesar Lacayo were standing on the shoulder of the expressway in McAllen trying to change the tire.
But all of the sudden, they heard the screeching of other tires.
A sound that brought their world to a halt.
“We all knew there was going to be an accident, so I yelled to jump to clear the way, so we all dove across," Martinez said. "It turns out that Julio did not, he stayed there.”
The oncoming pickup slammed into Julio, pinning him against his friends car, and killing him.
Martinez rushed to help Julio, and says he thought the dark-colored pickup that hit his son’s friend would lend a helping hand.
“I thought that that he was going to give me room so that I could give aid to Julio, but no, he started to take off,” says Martinez.
Police suspect the pickup that hit Julio was racing another truck along U.S. Expressway 83, where it proceeded to lose control.
Two other vehicles, a light colored pickup and a blue-green convertible, were also seen during the time of this accident.
As for Martinez, all he wants is for those who did this to turn themselves in.
“If they're scared right now, they should take into consideration this side," Martinez said. "These families that witnessed that horrible accident and that are now having to put Julio to rest. But with this over our shoulders, there's just no peace."
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT