In a tragic incident that highlights the challenges and consequences of illegal immigration, a 10-year-old child, Alex “A.J.” Wise, Jr., lost his life in a hit-and-run car crash in Midland, Texas. The suspect, Rogelio Ortiz-Olivas, a 50-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, had been deported from the United States five times before the incident. Ortiz-Olivas was charged with drunk driving and causing the fatal hit-and-run crash.
According to reports from the Midland Police Department, on Feb. 8, Ortiz-Olivas was driving a truck when he struck Wise, who was walking home from school. Ortiz-Olivas fled the scene, leaving the young boy critically injured. Despite being airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, Wise succumbed to his injuries the following morning. Described by his family as “the sweetest, coolest, funniest little boy you ever would meet,” Wise’s tragic death has left the community devastated.
The suspect, who went by the name “Juan Ortiz Perez” at the time of the incident, was apprehended when an officer at a traffic stop noticed his damaged car hood, bearing an “impression of a skull.” Ortiz-Olivas faces a third-degree felony charge of “hit and run, accident causing death” due to driver negligence and failing to stop and render aid. He is currently held by the Midland County sheriff’s office on a $100,000 bond.
Instances like these underscore the ongoing challenges posed by illegal immigration, particularly when individuals who have been deported multiple times manage to re-enter the United States. This case echoes similar incidents where deported individuals have been arrested for serious crimes. It further fuels the debate over the need for enhanced border security and immigration enforcement to prevent such tragedies and protect American citizens.
As the grieving mother, Sykia Benson, expressed her anguish on Facebook, stating, “He deserves everything he gets,” the incident adds to the broader narrative surrounding the consequences of illegal immigration and the potential risks it poses to public safety.
