KYLE, Texas — A 21-year-old Austin woman was killed in a motorcycle crash on Interstate 35 last month, and police say their investigation has now led to the arrest of a man accused of racing her shortly before the crash.

Kyle police said officers responded around 9:55 p.m. Aug. 23 to a crash involving a motorcycle on southbound I-35 near Exit 213.

The motorcyclist, identified as Angelina Duran, 21, of Austin, was taken to a local hospital, where she later died from her injuries. (KVUE)

As investigators worked to determine what happened, witnesses reportedly told police they had seen Duran racing a gray Audi before the crash.

Investigators eventually identified the Audi’s driver as 20-year-old Alejandro Ortiz-Fernandez of Manor, according to police.

Ortiz-Fernandez was arrested Sept. 15 and charged with racing on a highway resulting in serious bodily injury or death. (Fox 7 Austin)

The arrest comes as investigators continue to piece together the events leading up to the crash.

The danger of racing on public roads

For motorcyclists, the consequences of high-speed racing on an interstate can be especially severe. A motorcycle offers considerably less protection than a passenger vehicle, leaving a rider vulnerable when a race turns into a crash.

But this case also illustrates another danger: a public highway isn’t a controlled racing environment.

Traffic, lane changes, pavement conditions and other motorists can introduce variables that riders and drivers have little time to react to when traveling at high speeds.

Police have not said that every detail of the crash has been established publicly, and the allegations against Ortiz-Fernandez remain allegations unless proven in court.

Duran’s death, however, serves as another reminder that what may begin as a moment of speed or competition on a public road can have permanent consequences.

This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.