The Death of a North Carolina Father of Two Sheds Light on Illegal Alien Crime

In the early morning hours of March 29, Cheston Gerard Edwards of Kinston, North Carolina – a father of two – was driving home from his girlfriend’s house. He was traveling along Highway 70 near Pine Level in Johnston County, which is located to the southeast of the city of Raleigh. Unfortunately, illegal alien Rolbin Pacheco-Diaz was driving on the same highway that night – intoxicated, unlicensed, and going the wrong way – and struck Edwards’ truck head-on, killing him instantly. He was only 36 years old.

Edwards’ family is understandably devastated. According to WRAL, the victims’ “mother, Mary Edwards, said he was a hard worker who was determined to be good father to his 9-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. ‘He loved his family, he loved me. He was a person who had deep love,’ she said.”

Much less is known about the impaired driver who killed Edwards. The media outlets that reported on the deadly accident said nothing about Pacheco-Diaz’s immigration status, although Joe Fisher of WRAL News did briefly mention that “investigators are working” to figure it out.

A phone call by this author to the Johnston County Detention Center revealed that Pacheco-Diaz is indeed in the country unlawfully. Caroline H., Jail Operations Manager at the facility, confirmed that Pacheco-Diaz had an ICE detainer placed on him and is a Honduran by citizenship. More details may be forthcoming later.

The needless, tragic death of Cheston Edwards – whose young children have now been left fatherless – is a sad reminder that crimes committed by illegal aliens are a problem. Illegal migration is not a victimless crime. Had Pacheco-Diaz not been able to enter the country illegally (or not overstayed a visa, depending on how he got into the U.S.), or had he been removed to his homeland, Cheston Edwards would likely still be alive today.