CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. – The Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a Catawba County deputy.

It happened around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning at the intersection of McDonald Parkway and Spencer Road beside St. Stephen's Lutheran Christian School in Hickory.

Authorities say Hernan Cortez, 27, was traveling west on Spencer Road and the deputy was traveling north on McDonald Parkway when the collision happened. Cortez was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family says they have questions about the crash.

"Is there cameras? I want to see what happened because his car is pretty busted up," Richard Cortez said.

He also says Cortez is a part of a family band named The Hermanos and played the accordion.

“Everybody that knows Hernan [says] he was really great, probably one of the best accordion players in North Carolina,” he said. "He went over here, to Paradise Valley, maybe half a mile from here. He went to sing some happy birthday songs to a buddy of his and now he's not here with us.”

The deputy was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center with minor injuries and has since been released.

The NCSHP Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and is assisting with the investigation into what happened. It is unclear at this time who was at fault, but it appears that the deputy hit Cortez from the side.

The deputy’s name has not been released.