Authorities have confirmed that a suspect in a deadly DUI hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a 22-year-old in New Mexico entered the U.S. illegally. The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Jesus Sandoval-Martinez, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses including vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in great bodily harm or death.
The tragic incident occurred when Sandoval-Martinez, allegedly intoxicated, collided his Dodge pickup truck with a Tesla and a Toyota Corolla at an intersection in Albuquerque. Following the crash, the suspect fled on foot but was apprehended by witnesses and bystanders who detained him until law enforcement arrived.
Regrettably, the driver of the Tesla, 22-year-old Tiger Gutierrez, lost his life in the collision, while a passenger was hospitalized. The driver of the Toyota sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment.
ICE has placed an immigration detainer on Sandoval-Martinez, a Mexican national without a valid driver's license or Social Security number. This incident highlights the challenges posed by illegal border crossings, with over 84,000 migrants apprehended in June 2024 alone.
Furthermore, the rise in crimes involving illegal migrants is a growing concern. Recent cases include the arrest of individuals like Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, accused of raping and killing a Maryland mother, and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, charged in the killing of a 12-year-old in Houston.
These incidents underscore the need for comprehensive immigration reform and enhanced border security measures to prevent such tragedies and hold perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable.
