Driver in deadly Rio Hondo street race sentenced to 4 years in prison
A man received a 4-year prison sentence on Wednesday after he was found guilty of manslaughter in connection with a fatal street race that killed one man in Rio Hondo.
Daniel Vallejo was hospitalized and arrested following the Nov. 23, 2023 crash that happened on FM 106 east of Nelson Road.
Vallejo was identified as the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado that was racing a Ford Mustang when he crashed into a Saturn Outlook.
The driver of the Saturn Outlook — 42-year-old Jorge Villanueva — succumbed to his injuries at the scene as Vallejo was airlifted to a hospital.
The driver of the Ford Mustang — identified as Reynaldo Mendoza — fled the scene.
Reynaldo Mendoza was arrested the following month, along with his father — Ernesto.
According to an affidavit obtained by Channel 5 News, an officer with the Rio Hondo Police Department reviewed surveillance footage of the crash and “recognized the driver.”
The police officer went to Reynaldo and Ernesto’s address where the suspect vehicle was located, “lifted on jacks with real wheels removed.”
Contact was made with Ernesto, who was “not cooperative” when asked about his son, who he said was in Houston for school.
“Ernesto then made a statement that Reynaldo was not racing ...I never mentioned anything to Ernesto about a race,” the officer stated in the affidavit. “Ernesto then claimed that it was him that was racing, and he was the one that removed the slick racing tires off [the Mustang.]”
A warrant was obtained for Reynaldo’s phone, where a Snapchat recording of the fatal race was found, the affidavit said.
Cameron County records say Reynaldo’s trial will begin on Sept. 22, 2025. He faces charges of racing on a highway causing serious injury or death, collision involving death and tampering with physical evidence.
Ernesto will also go to trial that same day and faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Channel 5 News reached out to Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz, who said he disagreed with the sentence that was delivered by a jury.
“I respectfully disagree with such a low sentence for causing the death of a truly innocent victim. It sends the wrong message to the community,” Saenz said
Vallejo was facing up to 20 years in prison.
More News
