Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to One Year for Hit-and-Run Death of University of South Carolina Student
COLUMBIA, S.C. — An illegal immigrant from El Salvador has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to the hit-and-run death of a University of South Carolina student earlier this year. The light sentence has drawn attention as immigration authorities prepare to take custody of the suspect upon his release.
USC Student Killed in April Crash
According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, 24-year-old Rosali Fernandez-Cruz pleaded guilty to hit-and-run resulting in death, the most serious charge he faced in the April 2 crash that killed 21-year-old Nathaniel “Nate” Baker, a junior at the University of South Carolina and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
Authorities said Fernandez-Cruz failed to yield before striking Baker’s motorcycle at an intersection in Columbia and then fled the scene. Baker was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after the collision.
Sentence and Family’s Response
Court officials confirmed that Fernandez-Cruz was sentenced to one year in state prison without a plea agreement. He entered custody on August 14, 2025, and is expected to be released on March 2, 2026, according to South Carolina Department of Corrections records.
Robert Kittle, spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, said the sentence was determined by the judge after consulting Baker’s family, who expressed forgiveness and requested the case not be politicized. “They did not want this to be highly publicized,” Kittle said. “They were in agreement with the guilty plea and sentence.”
Immigration Background and Deportation Order
Records show Fernandez-Cruz had a history of prior immigration violations. A Department of Homeland Security source told Fox News Digital that he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Hidalgo, Texas, in December 2016, and later ordered deported to El Salvador by an immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2018.
At the time of the crash, Fernandez-Cruz was wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Once his state sentence is completed, he will be transferred to ICE custody for deportation proceedings.
Case Highlights Broader Concerns
The case has reignited discussions about immigration enforcement and public safety, especially following a string of recent fatal crashes involving undocumented drivers across the United States. However, South Carolina prosecutors emphasized that Baker’s family sought closure rather than political controversy.
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