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 Thursday.
Sergio Josue Palomera, 23, fled from Border Patrol last Oct. 22 after he was spotted loading the migrants into his car near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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.
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He ultimately lost control of the car and it rolled over. One of the migrants, an unidentified woman, was ejected from the car and died at the scene. The other migrant, an unidentified man, died at a hospital that night.
Palomera, who pled guilty to transportation of certain aliens resulting in death, is slated for sentencing in July. Had he not agreed to a plea agreement with prosecutors, he could have faced a death sentence or life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
