Houston Police Department

February 15, 2006 -- Houston police are investigating a fatal traffic accident at 8100 Albonson about 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2006.

The victim is identified as four-month-old Aliza Marquez. She was not restrained in a car seat and was ejected from the vehicle upon impact. Aliza was pronounced dead at the scene.

HPD Mobility Incident Management Division Sergeant J. A. Ogden and Officers D.W. Ertons and J. E. Tippy reported:

Two vehicles were traveling westbound on Albonson toward Bingle. The driver of a Ford Mustang attempted to pass a Nissan pickup truck traveling in front of him. The driver of the Mustang lost control of his vehicle, causing him to leave the roadway on the south side of the street and then veer back in front of the pickup truck. The Mustang then went into a ditch, struck a fence and then rolled over back into the street. Upon impact, the victim, who was being held by her mother, was ejected through a window.

The driver of the pickup truck, Daniel Cardenas (H/m, DOB 10-19-87), left the scene after the Mustang rolled over. He has been charged with failure to stop and give information in Harris County Criminal Court #14. The 16-year-old driver of the Mustang will be charged with endangering a child and has been referred to Harris County Juvenile Probation Department authorities. That charge could be upgraded during the course of the investigation. The juvenile suspect (driver) and two children passengers in the Mustang were transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital. One of the children, a two-year-old boy, was not wearing a seatbelt nor was he in a child safety seat. The other injured child, a one-month-old boy, was in a child safety seat that was not attached to the vehicle's back seat.

The investigation is continuing.

MES/JFC 2-15-06
Inc #025165106

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.