Alien Smuggler Admits Role in Fatal Crash Following High-Speed Pursuit Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California Byline: Kelly Thornton Dateline: San Diego, California Date: 3 April 2025 Subjects: American Government , Crime

SAN DIEGO – Sergio Josue Palomera of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he was transporting two undocumented immigrants who died when he crashed his car while fleeing U.S. Border Patrol at speeds exceeding 110 mph.

Border Patrol agents using remote video surveillance saw Palomera loading the two aliens—a man and a woman—into his car near the U.S.–Mexico border in Otay Mesa on October 22, 2024. An agent responded to the location and saw the car traveling west on State Route 905. The agent activated his lights and sirens to pull the car over.

According to his plea agreement, Palomera initially slowed down and began to move over onto a highway offramp, as if yielding to the Border Patrol agent’s attempt to pull him over. Palomera then quickly accelerated, drove through a red traffic light, and re-entered the highway in an attempt to flee. Palomera was traveling over 110 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone.

Within about one minute, Palomera lost control of the car on State Route 905, and it rolled over. The smuggled woman was ejected from the car and died instantly. The smuggled man suffered a traumatic head injury and died later that evening in the hospital.

Palomera’s sentencing is scheduled for July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett.

DEFENDANT                                                           Case Number: 24cr2466                               

Sergio Josue Palomera                                               Age: 23                       Chula Vista, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Transportation of Certain Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (B)(iv)

Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison; $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

United States Border Patrol

Kelly Thornton, Director of Media Relations

Updated April 3, 2025

Press Release Number: CAS25-0403-Palomera