A Royse City teenager is without car after it was stolen and destroyed in a bizarre chain of events.

Jerry Ramirez was riding home with friends April 13 when he noticed a red pickup had hit the guard rail near Farm to Market Road 548 & Crenshaw Road.

“This is basically where the body was, over there they found the cell phone,” said Ramirez, walking the scene of the accident for the first time since the night it happened.

Ramirez, 18, and his friends stopped to help, calling 911. Rockwall County investigators say four people were in the pickup, one man was ejected and two women hurt. All three are expected to survive.

While Ramirez and his friends waited for help, they heard his car turn on. The driver of the red pickup nowhere to be found.

“We basically all realized, who’s in the car and you put one and one together,” said Ramirez.

Investigators say the driver of the red pickup, a man in his 20s, stole the Chrysler sedan and briefly lead deputies on a chase. Deputies say he eventually crashed west of CR2300 near Quinlan, where he died at the scene.

“Every time I pass by here with family all I can reflect on is that day and those graphic images that pop through your head,” said Ramirez.

The man who stole the car was uninsured, and Ramirez’s insurance company doesn’t cover theft. But his friend, Jeremy Poor, who was also with him that night, has started a GoFundme to raise money to replace the car.

Ramirez said he is grateful for all the support he has received and said if he could do it all over he would still stop to help.

“I’d give my car up any day to save someone’s life,” said Ramirez.

Investigators are still looking into whether or not alcohol was involved in the crash.

ONLINE: GoFundMe for Jerry Ramirez

