A 21-year-old man from Mexico, identified as an illegal alien by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been accused of killing a 22-year-old local in a drunk driving crash in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jesus Sandoval-Martinez has been arrested and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and failing to obey traffic signs.
On July 1, authorities allege that Sandoval-Martinez was intoxicated while driving without a license at high speeds when he disregarded a red light and crashed into Tiger Gutierrez’s Tesla, as well as a Toyota Corolla. The Mexican national is reported to have fled the scene of the accident on foot but was held back by witnesses until law enforcement officers arrived.
Gutierrez and his passenger, Mia Montoya, were rushed to a nearby hospital with critical injuries following the incident. Gutierrez tragically succumbed to his injuries while at the hospital, whereas Montoya is now reported to be in stable condition. The driver of the Toyota sustained only minor injuries from the collision.
On-site police officers discovered empty beer cans inside Sandoval-Martinez’s vehicle and claimed that he was intoxicated during the incident. Gutierrez, a coach at E3 Volleyball, was known to be passionate about his Tesla. Officials from the organization expressed their grief over the loss of their dear friend in a Facebook post, also sharing concerns for Montoya’s ongoing recovery.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have confirmed Sandoval-Martinez as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. The suspect remains in the Metropolitan Detention Center, with ICE agents placing a detainer on him, requesting custody should he be released at any time.