2 Deer Park students recovering after teen driving recklessly near high school stadium hits them

DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) -- Two Deer Park ISD students are recovering after being hit by a student driver near their school on Tuesday.

The district confirmed the two students were walking across the stadium parking lot near Deer Park High School-South Campus when they were hit by a vehicle.

Lt. Chris Brown with Deer Park police said the incident happened at about 9:30 a.m. when a student was driving recklessly and knocked the two students to the ground.

Officials said the students -- a boy and a girl-- have head injuries but were conscious after the incident. The two were stabilized and taken to the hospital. Family members told ABC13 the teens have been released from the hospital and are recovering at home.

The family of the victims says 18-year-old Javier and 18-year-old Aimee were the two teenagers hurt on Tuesday morning. They told us they consider Javier a hero after he pushed Aimee out of the way of the out-of-control truck.

"Really good about the boyfriend she has. I'll be forever grateful because it could've been a lot worse," said Aimee's mom, Kandice Jump, tearfully on Tuesday afternoon.

Jump says the teens were walking home from school when the incident took place.

"I'm relieved right now cause you know he's talking to me," said Javier's mother, Sylvia Danas, as her son was receiving treatment at the hospital on Tuesday.

Danas told ABC13 she feels really proud of her son and his actions. She says it's something that didn't surprise her because it's the kind of boy he is.

Deer Park police representatives told Eyewitness News that 17-year-old Christian Perez is the teen accused of driving the truck recklessly in the parking lot, hitting his schoolmates.

Police said Perez will be charged with two counts of reckless aggravated assault in connection with the crash.

Jump said this situation could have been prevented, saying unsafe driving is something that isn't new in the Deer Park High School-South Campus parking lots.

ABC13 took their questions straight to Deer Park ISD leaders, who said students must follow rules while parking in the school lots, including driving a maximum speed of 10 to 20 mph.

In an email response late Tuesday evening, DPISD representatives told ABC13 that the high school will improve safety measures in its parking lots and increase police presence in the area beginning on Wednesday.

Parents at the school told ABC13 an email also went out to families about the changes that would go into effect immediately because "a recent incident has underscored the urgency of these changes."

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