A Mexican national who had previously been deported from the United States three times has been charged in connection with a July 3 crash in North Carolina that killed a 6-year-old girl and seriously injured two other people.
The child, identified as Calli Toler, died after the vehicle she was riding in was struck by a pickup truck that authorities say failed to stop at a stop sign.
According to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on Jaime Santiago Corona. The detainer asks North Carolina authorities to notify ICE before releasing him from custody so that federal immigration officials can take further action.
DHS said Corona had entered the United States illegally on four occasions and had been deported in 2019, 2023, and 2024. The agency also said his criminal history includes convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol and obstructing police.
Corona now faces several charges related to the deadly crash, including misdemeanor death by vehicle, failure to stop for a stop sign, careless and reckless driving, and driving while his license was revoked.
According to WCTI-TV, Corona was driving a 2023 Dodge Ram pickup when he allegedly drove through a stop sign and struck a 2016 Chevrolet SUV driven by Kelli Toler.
Calli was killed in the collision. Kelli Toler and a 4-year-old child who was also inside the SUV suffered serious injuries.
Corona is being held at the Pitt County Detention Center on a $100,000 secured bond. Court documents reportedly describe him as a flight risk.
Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis condemned Corona’s alleged actions and argued that the crash could have been prevented.
“This monster caused a car crash that killed a 6-year-old girl, and injured a mother and a 4-year-old,” Bis said in the DHS statement.
She also pointed to Corona’s previous deportations and prior conviction for driving under the influence.
“This tragedy was 100% preventable,” Bis said. “Our prayers are with Calli Toler and her family. DHS lodged a detainer requesting this criminal illegal alien not be released from jail and allowed on our roads again.”
The case has renewed attention on immigration enforcement and what happens when individuals who have already been removed from the country return illegally. DHS has presented Corona’s history as evidence of a failure to keep a repeat immigration offender off American roads.
At the same time, the criminal charges against Corona remain allegations until they are resolved in court. The investigation and prosecution will determine the full circumstances surrounding the crash, including whether prosecutors can prove that his driving directly caused Calli’s death.
For Calli’s family, however, the legal and political arguments come after an irreversible loss. A 6-year-old child is dead, her mother and another young child were seriously injured, and the man accused of causing the crash had already been deported multiple times before the collision occurred.