Nate Baker hit and run - latest victim of the illegal immigration invasion

On April 2, 2025, Nathanial "Nate" Baker, a 21-year-old junior business major at the University of South Carolina, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Columbia, South Carolina. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. at the intersection of Blossom and Assembly Streets, near the university campus. Baker was riding a motorcycle westbound on Blossom Street when he was struck by a pickup truck driven by 24-year-old Rosali Fernandez-Cruz. According to the Columbia Police Department (CPD), Fernandez-Cruz failed to yield the right of way while attempting a left turn onto Assembly Street, causing the fatal collision.

Following the crash, Fernandez-Cruz allegedly fled the scene, driving away before abandoning the truck and attempting to escape on foot. He was apprehended shortly afterward by a CPD traffic officer in the 1100 block of Greene Street. Two other men in the truck with Fernandez-Cruz also fled, though no charges are pending against them, and their immigration status remains unknown. Baker was transported to Prisma Health Richland Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Fernandez-Cruz faces multiple charges, including hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to provide information and render aid, failure to yield the right of way, and driving without a license. During a bond hearing on April 3, 2025, bond was denied, and he remains in custody at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, with his next court appearance scheduled for June.

Authorities discovered that Fernandez-Cruz was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed he was in the United States illegally, having been ordered deported in 2018 after failing to appear at an immigration hearing.

Nate Baker, originally from Glen Allen, Virginia, was a beloved member of the University of South Carolina community and the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity, where he served as corresponding secretary. Described as a leader, role model, and "jack-of-all-trades," Baker was remembered for his kindness, infectious smile, and willingness to help others. The university and fraternity expressed profound grief, offering counseling services to students and organizing memorials to honor his memory. 17GEN4.com