An undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, Rosali Fernandez-Cruz, has been sentenced to one year in prison following a fatal hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of University of South Carolina student Nathaniel Baker. The incident occurred on April 2, when Fernandez-Cruz failed to yield and struck Baker, who was riding a motorcycle. After the collision, Fernandez-Cruz left the scene.
According to Robert Kittle, spokesperson for the state attorney general’s office, Baker’s family was consulted about the sentencing and chose not to have the case politicized or publicized. “The judge decided the sentence, which was one year,” Kittle said. He also stated that there was no plea agreement in place and that prosecutors had informed the judge about other traffic-related charges against Fernandez-Cruz.
Fernandez-Cruz pleaded guilty to hit-and-run resulting in death, which is considered the most serious charge he faced. He was admitted to the South Carolina Department of Corrections on August 14, 2025. His projected release date is March 2, 2026. Upon completion of his sentence, Fernandez-Cruz will be deported to El Salvador.
Baker was a junior at the University of South Carolina and a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
