South Carolina Student Killed in Hit-and-Run by Undocumented Driver

Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, who had a prior deportation order, is in custody facing charges after the fatal crash that killed Nathanial Baker near the USC campus.

Nathanial 'Nate' G. Baker, a 21-year-old business major and fraternity member, was killed in a hit-and-run near the University of South Carolina campus on April 2, 2025.
The driver, Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, a 24-year-old undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, had been ordered deported in 2018 but remained in the U.S.
Fernandez-Cruz has been charged with multiple offenses, including hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to render aid, failure to yield the right of way, and driving without a license.
The University of South Carolina community and Baker's fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, have held memorials and expressed grief over the loss of their student and brother.
The incident has reignited discussions on immigration enforcement policies, with officials highlighting Fernandez-Cruz's undocumented status and prior deportation order.