The family of Ruben Terriquez was in shock after the 18-year-old died during a high-speed drag race on surface streets in Riverside.
"We lost somebody so special," said Vanessa Salgado, Terriquez's aunt. "He didn’t deserve this."
Terriquez was the passenger in a Ford Mustang driven by Jesus Gamez, who investigators said had been drinking before participating in a drag race on Mitchell Street, a residential street in Riverside.
Gamez was racing against car identified only as a silver sedan. The cars reached speeds of up to 120 mph in 25 mph zone before the Gamez lost control.
His Mustang plowed into a parked car and ended up wrapped around a utility pole.
"Nothing will bring him back," Salgado said, first speaking of her nephew then directing her anger at Gamez. "He was drunk and racing."
Riverside residents have called drag racing on Mitchell Street a constant problem.
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The Riverside Sheriff’s Department is looking for the driver of the other car, while Gamez faces vehicular manslaughter charges.
The family of Ruben Terriquez has opened a memorial fund at Bank of America to help pay for funeral expenses. The account is in the name of Ruben "Eric" Terriquez.
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