(Matthew Doarnberger, Headline USA) An illegal immigrant ordered to be deported six years ago stands accused of killing a 19-year-old Virginia woman in a violent car crash back in February, the New York Post reported.
Elvis Jamir Cruz–Ferrera, an 18-year-old Honduran national, is now charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Old Dominion University student Lauryn Ni’Kole Leonard.
On the night of Feb. 19, Leonard drove her 2000 Toyota Solara on Interstate 664 in Chesapeake back to her apartment in Norfolk, Va. Cruz-Ferrera then smashed into her vehicle while driving his 2008 Pontiac Vibe, killing her instantly.
Despite Cruz–Ferrera’s vehicle overturning, he survived the crash and was treated at the local hospital for only minor injuries.
Border Patrol agents first apprehended Cruz–Ferrera in 2016 in McAllen, Texas. After that, they released him with orders to appear before a judge at a later date. The deportation hearing took nearly two years to schedule. Cruz–Ferrera did not show up for the hearing, but the judge ruled to deport him despite his absence.
Following his time in Texas, Cruz–Ferrera made his way to Portsmouth, Va. It is not known if he was aware that he had been ordered to leave the country.
Prior to the deadly automobile crash, Cruz–Ferrera had several run-ins with law enforcement. In November 2023, Virginia Police charged him with reckless driving for allegedly going 85 mph in a 60 mph zone along the same stretch of I-664 that the accident would later occur.
He was also charged with driving without a license in January of this year. Neither of these instances caused an investigation into his immigration status.
Leonard’s mother, Dana Hargrove, expressed confusion as to why Cruz–Ferrera’s history wasn’t looked into following either of his encounters with the police.
“I think it’s crazy. Like, how come nobody looked into it?”
Her brother, Erick Hargrove, lamented that action wasn’t taken with regard to the deportation issue.
“I don’t want to say anything that sounds like far right or far left, but I would just say that it’s a possibility that this wouldn’t have happened if the deportation happened when it was supposed to.”
Cruz–Ferrera is being held without bond and faces up to ten years in prison.
