A convicted sex predator who is in the U.S. illegally was caught fleeing the country after allegedly running over a pedestrian and leaving the scene of the crash, authorities say.
The deadly collision unfolded just before 5 a.m. on June 17 in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
A Honda CR-V veered off the roadway and onto a grassy median, striking Brian Roy Longaberger, 56, detectives say.
Longaberger was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The suspect, 26-year-old Josue David Carranza-Castellon, drove off in the badly damaged vehicle and remained at-large until the following day when he was caught trying to board a flight to Honduras from Newark International Airport.
Carranza-Castellon, a Honduran citizen, was taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations.
He has been charged with manslaughter by vehicle and failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in death.
Carranza-Castellon has a prior conviction for a fourth-degree sex offense and an arrest for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.
The Honduran illegally crossed the southern border into Texas as a minor in 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed this weekend.
“This criminal illegal alien tried to flee the country to avoid facing justice for his involvement in a fatal hit-and-run. This is not the first time this illegal alien broke our laws. He was previously arrested for lewd or lascivious acts with a child,” said DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
“He will face consequences for his crimes and then be swiftly removed from our country so he cannot continue to terrorize American communities. His crime spree is OVER.”
