By Gloria Ogbonna

A tragic hit-and-run accident in Columbia, South Carolina, has resulted in the death of 21-year-old Nathaniel “Nate” Baker, a University of South Carolina student, after his motorcycle was struck by a truck.

The suspect in the fatal crash, 24-year-old Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who had an active deportation order at the time of the incident.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the suspect’s immigration status, revealing that Fernandez-Cruz had been living in the United States unlawfully for years.

Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, shared a statement on social media, expressing condolences for the loss of the young student while also criticizing the failure of immigration enforcement that allowed the suspect to remain in the country.

“Yesterday, 21-year-old USC student Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Baker was driving a motorcycle when he was hit by a truck driver who fled the scene.

The hit & run driver was in our country illegally. Nate should be alive today. [DHS] prays for Nate’s family, friends, and loved ones and will work every day to protect innocent Americans like Nate,” McLaughlin wrote.

The events leading up to the tragedy paint a grim picture of missed opportunities to remove Fernandez-Cruz from the country.

Fox News reporter Bill Melugin confirmed through a DHS source that the suspect had an active deportation order and was supposed to have been removed from the United States years ago.

According to immigration records, Fernandez-Cruz was first apprehended by Border Patrol in December 2016 near Hidalgo, Texas. At the time, he was released with a notice to appear in court but never showed up for his hearing.

In September 2018, a Department of Justice immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, ordered him deported in absentia due to his failure to appear. However, he was never removed from the U.S., and years later, he was involved in the hit-and-run accident that took Baker’s life.

Local authorities provided further details of the fatal crash, which occurred just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of Blossom and Assembly Streets in Columbia.

Police reports indicate that Fernandez-Cruz failed to yield the right of way while making a left turn in his truck, striking Baker, who was traveling on his motorcycle. Instead of stopping to render aid, Fernandez-Cruz fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle and running away on foot.

Baker was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead due to the severity of his injuries. Following an investigation, Fernandez-Cruz was later apprehended and charged with multiple offenses, including:

•Hit-and-run resulting in death

•Failure to give information and render aid

•Failure to yield the right of way

•Driving without a license

At the time of the accident, two other men were reportedly with Fernandez-Cruz in the vehicle. Like him, they also fled the scene. Their immigration status remains unknown, and no charges have been filed against them at this time.

The case has sparked renewed concerns over illegal immigration enforcement, particularly regarding individuals with outstanding deportation orders who remain in the country and go on to commit crimes.

Critics have pointed to this case as an example of the consequences of lax enforcement policies, arguing that if Fernandez-Cruz had been deported in 2018 as ordered, Nate Baker would still be alive today.

As the case unfolds, Baker’s family, friends, and community members are mourning the loss of a young life cut short far too soon.

His tragic death has ignited discussions about immigration policies, public safety, and the failures of the justice system in handling undocumented individuals with criminal records. Authorities continue to investigate, and Fernandez-Cruz remains in custody as he awaits trial.

Source Breitbart