FIRST ON FOX – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson on Friday announced that he will be prosecuting the Salvadoran illegal immigrant accused in the fatal hit-and-run of a University of South Carolina student on Wednesday.
Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, 24, is charged with hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to give information and render aid, failure to yield the right of way and driving without a license in connection with 21-year-old Nate Baker’s death, according to a statement from the Columbia Police Department (CPD).
“My message to people who are here illegally, especially people who were members of gangs like TDA and MS-13 and other violent extremist groups that have crossed the border illegally … is: we’re coming for you. And we’re going to leave no place for you to hide. If you pose a threat to the people of South Carolina, this office will be coming for you,” Wilson told Fox News Digital.
He added that those here illegally who are nonviolent and seeking a better life should “find a lawful pathway to citizenship in this country, report yourself, and then follow the processes like so many millions of immigrants who come to this country to seek a better [life] for themselves and their families.”
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Baker was riding his motorcycle on Tuesday when he collided with the suspect, who allegedly failed to yield the right of way while turning left, at the intersection of Blossom and Assembly Streets in Columbia.
The 21-year-old victim was a junior at USC majoring in business. He was also an active leader in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
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“I appreciate the Trump administration for patching the holes of the boat that is America. We close the borders, that’s akin to plugging the holes, but we still have a lot of water that came in, a lot of the violent gang members, a lot of drugs, a lot of illicit crime that is an outflow of the illegal crossings at the southern border are still in this country,” Wilson said.
He continued: “We are committed here in South Carolina to working with our state partners and our federal partners and working with the Trump administration to remove those people who are violent and a threat to the public health and safety of our communities.”
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A Department of Homeland Security source previously told Fox News Digital that Fernandez-Cruz was previously arrested by border patrol in Hidalgo, Texas, on Dec. 24, 2016. In September 2018, an immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, ordered Fernandez-Cruz to be sent back to El Salvador.
At the time of the crash, Fernandez-Cruz was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), police said.
Two men were with Fernandez-Cruz at the time of the accident and also fled, according to police. No charges are pending against them. The immigration status of the other men is unknown.
The Phi Gamma Delta chapter at USC described Baker as “not just a brother, but a leader, a role model, and a true embodiment of what our fraternity stands for.”
“Nate Baker brought light, laughter, and love into all of our lives. Nate will always be remembered for the way he showed up for others and the impact he had on everyone around him,” the fraternity wrote in an Instagram post. “His passion, loyalty, and love for this brotherhood will never be forgotten. May we honor his memory by living with the same kindness, selflessness and generosity that he showed to everyone around him. Rest in Peace Nathaniel Baker.”
Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
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