Chula Vista man pleads guilty in Otay Mesa crash that killed two migrants
Apr 03, 2025
A Chula Vista man who was transporting two undocumented migrants in a car he crashed while fleeing from Border Patrol officers, causing both passengers’ deaths, pleaded guilty to federal charges in San Diego on Thursday.
Sergio Josue Palomera, 23, fled from Border Patrol on Oct. 22 after a man and
a woman were spotted getting into his car near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the San Diego U.S. Attorney’s Office and court documents.
After law enforcement attempted to pull him over on state Route 905 in Otay Mesa, prosecutors say Palomera sped away, with his car at one point reaching over 110 mph in a 65 mph zone.
He ultimately lost control of the car and it rolled over. One of the migrants, a woman, was ejected from the car and died at the scene. The other migrant, a man, died at a hospital that night.
Palomera, who pleaded guilty to transportation of certain aliens resulting in death, is slated for sentencing in July. ...read more read less