Arizona Teen Accused of Killing Younger Brother in Alleged ‘Road Rage Incident’

An Arizona teen is facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly hitting his younger brother with his car.

The Yuma Police Department and Yuma Fire Department were dispatched to an incident involving a “motor vehicle collision” in a Starbucks parking lot in Yuma on Sept. 13 at about 7:57 p.m. local time, according to a media release.

A 17-year-old male — who was later identified as Javier Figueroa — “was found unresponsive” at the scene. He was transported to a nearby medical center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the release.

The release stated that an “initial investigation” found that three individuals were involved in the incident — Javier, his 19-year-old brother, Juan Figueroa, and a 36-year-old man whose name has not been publicly released.

Booking records from the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) state that Juan was booked on charges of first-degree murder, as well as attempted murder, on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 3:34 a.m. local time. He is being held on a bond of $500,000, and no court dates have been announced at this time.

Police said that a “road rage incident” allegedly developed in the parking lot, which “led to a fight between 3 individuals.” The fight allegedly resulted in Juan striking his younger brother with his car.

The 36-year-old man involved in the incident was questioned by the police and subsequently released, according to the release.

A probable cause statement obtained by KYMA stated that the 36-year-old man claimed the brothers tried to attack him with a knife during an altercation, and that he and Javier proceeded to get into a physical fight.

The probable cause statement further stated that Juan claimed he was attempting to hit the 36-year-old man with his car to help protect his brother but accidentally hit his sibling instead, per KYMA.

PEOPLE reached out to the Yuma police and fire departments for comment on Sunday, Sept. 21, but did not receive immediate responses.

The teen’s father, Joseph Figueroa, claimed that the other driver was chasing his children and said they called him while the incident was unfolding. 

“I told them to hang up and call 911 because the police station was just down the street, but I guess they didn’t make it,” he said in a statement to local news outlet Fox 8.

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The grieving father added that his sons were inseparable, noting that Juan had just graduated from high school and Javier was about to turn 18.

“I’m trying to bury one son and bail the other one. I need to know the truth, so I can help him,” he said, while adding that he believes there is more to the story.

A GoFundMe has been established by a family friend, with funds going “directly to funeral expenses, memorial arrangements, and immediate support for Joseph and his family during this devastating time.”