San Antonio Collision: Key Eyewitness Dies in High‑Speed Crash After Controversial Federal Shooting Case
SAN ANTONIO In a gut‑wrenching twist that has reignited calls for federal accountability and transparency, the man who was the only known witness to the controversial shooting death of Ruben Ray Martinez has died in a tragic car accident in San Antonio. The victim, identified as 25‑year‑old Joshua Orta, was not just a childhood friend he was the key eyewitness poised to challenge the government’s narrative on how Martinez was killed last March on South Padre Island.
Orta’s death in a fiery single‑vehicle crash early Saturday has shocked the legal team representing Martinez’s family and raised fresh questions about one of the most unsettling federal shooting cases in recent Texas history.
Crash Details: High Speed, Utility Pole, and Flames
According to the San Antonio Police Department, Orta was driving at a high rate of speed on Interstate 35 in the early morning hours when he lost control on a curved exit ramp near Powell Road. The vehicle smashed into a utility pole, burst into flames, and trapped Orta inside. Passengers in the car escaped and attempted to rescue him, but were unable to pull him from the burning wreckage before he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the crash did not appear to be connected to the Martinez case but the timing has only amplified scrutiny and speculation.
Orta’s age — 25 — and his connection to a case that critics say has been marred by delays and lack of transparency adds emotional weight to an already explosive situation.
Who Was Joshua Orta? More Than a Witness — A Friend and a Voice
Orta wasn’t just a witness to that fateful March night he was in the car with 23‑year‑old Ruben Ray Martinez when an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent shot Martinez multiple times during a late‑night incident on March 15, 2025. Martinez, a San Antonio native who had been visiting South Padre Island, died shortly afterward. At the time, local reporting did not disclose federal agent involvement.
It wasn’t until later, after internal agency records were released through a Freedom of Information Act request led by a watchdog group, American Oversight that the truth about ICE’s involvement emerged, revealing that a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent fired the fatal shots.
Orta’s impending statement on the shooting was poised to directly contradict the federal government’s official account.
Orta’s Version: A Narrative That Challenged Federal Claims
In a written but unsigned statement obtained by attorneys, Orta described the March 2025 encounter very differently than federal authorities did.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially said an ICE agent fired in self‑defense after Martinez intentionally struck an agent with his vehicle during a traffic control encounter part of a combined operation involving local police and immigration agents.
But Orta’s account, which he was set to sign and present, told a radically different story:
He said Martinez did not strike any officer, and that the vehicle was barely moving when shots were fired.
He wrote that the friends offered no resistance and were trying to comply with instructions when a federal agent shot Martinez at close range.
He noted that police delayed medical attention for Martinez for at least 10 minutes after the shooting.
Legal advocates described Orta’s testimony as a critical piece of evidence that could challenge how federal law enforcement characterizes use of deadly force, especially given broader national debates over law enforcement oversight.
Family Reactions: Grief Intertwined with Anguish Over Lost Testimony
Alex Stamm, an attorney for Martinez’s mother, Rachel Reyes, issued a statement acknowledging Orta’s death as a profound tragedy for his family. But he also stressed how Martinez’s case had now lost its most compelling firsthand account.
“In terms of Ruben’s death, the world has also now lost a critical eyewitness,” Stamm said, highlighting how Orta’s testimony was seen as vital for the family’s pursuit of justice.
Reyes has publicly called for accountability and answers ever since documents pointed to HSI involvement criticizing the months‑long delay in disclosing federal participation in her son’s death.
Federal Response & Ongoing Investigations Still Unfolding
DHS has repeatedly stood by its original characterization of the March 2025 shooting, calling it justified defensive action after an agent was reportedly struck. A DHS spokesperson told outlets, “We stand by our original statement.”
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers continue to investigate Martinez’s death a process that has drawn calls from lawmakers and civil rights advocates to open public hearings on federal enforcement operations and transparency.
Texas Democratic Representative Ray Lopez invoked a seldom‑used rule to push for a legislative hearing into Martinez’s killing and the year‑long delay in acknowledging federal involvement.
Legacy and Questions That Remain
Orta’s unexpected death has left a painful void in a case that already stirred controversy, emotional family appeals, and public debate over federal law enforcement’s use of force. His loss raises haunting questions:
What might Orta have testified to under oath?
Could his firsthand account have shifted public understanding or legal scrutiny?
What does his death mean for the Martinez family’s still‑unfiled wrongful death claims?
While authorities have said the San Antonio crash appears unrelated to Orta’s planned testimony, the timing has only deepened calls for clarity, accountability, and independent oversight in cases where federal agents are involved in lethal force against U.S. citizens.
For now, the story of Joshua Orta the key eyewitness who dies in a fiery crash remains a poignant reminder of how fleeting truth can feel when shadowed by tragedy and institutional opacity.
