Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that the suspect in a fatal DUI hit-and-run in New Mexico, which killed a 22-year-old man, entered the U.S. without permission.
Jesus Sandoval Martinez, 21, was arrested in the early morning hours of Monday and charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving. He also faces charges for leaving an accident that caused serious bodily injury or death.
Authorities claim that Sandoval Martinez was drunk at the time of his Dodge pickup truck colliding with a Tesla car and a Toyota Corolla in Albuquerque, overnight last week.
The 21-year-old migrant fled the scene of the fatal accident on foot. Witnesses said that he appeared to be impaired and was slurring words.
Bystanders and witnesses followed him into a Walgreens store and held him until police arrived.
The driver of the Tesla was identified as Tiger Gutierrez, 22 years old.
Authorities confirmed Gutierrez’s death and hospitalization of a passenger.
ICE reported that the driver of a Toyota suffered minor injuries.
After Sandoval Martinez was arrested, ICE issued an immigration detainer after establishing probable grounds to remove him from the U.S.
ICE stated that it had never encountered the migrant before the fatal crash.
He was a Mexican citizen without a Social Security number and did not possess a valid driving license.
In June 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol processed about 84,000 migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization.
In fiscal year 2024 Border Patrol agents apprehended over 13,000 “criminal citizens” who attempted to enter the U.S., an increase of 4,269 from FY 2019.
The number of crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants is on the rise.
These cases include the arrest of Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez. A 23-year-old illegal El Salvadorian immigrant, Martinez Hernandez is accused of killing and raping Rachel Morin in Maryland.
In another case, Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, along with Franklin Jose Pena Ramos (26), both Venezuelan migrants are accused of the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.
