Suspect in fatal wrong-way crash in Wake County faces another felony charge

A man accused of causing a fatal wrong-way crash in eastern Wake County now faces a felony charge of death by vehicle.

Jesus Alvarado-Velez, 28, was charged Tuesday.

Alvarado-Velez, who immigration officials believe is in the United States illegally, has been in jail since Sunday after the State Highway Patrol charged him with causing serious injury by a vehicle, which is a felony, driving while impaired and driving the wrong way on a two-lane highway.

He was first booked under the name Velez-Alvarado, but was listed in records Tuesday as Alvarado-Velez. The charge filed by a state trooper list his name as Jesus A. Velez.

The accident occurred at 1:50 a.m. Sunday on Knightdale Boulevard near Old Milburnie Road.

Leroy C. Owens of Charlotte, who was driving the other vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency workers. His wife, Lakeatia Daniels-Owens, suffered "traumatic life threatening injuries," according to an arrest warrant and traffic citations filed Monday.

The charge filed Tuesday says Owens' death was unlawful, willful and felonious, but unintentional.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security ordered an immigration hold for Alvarado-Velez after Wake County sheriff's deputies checked federal records and found he may be in the country as an undocumented immigrant. The deputies reported that Alvarado-Velez, who was driving a pickup truck, also made statements that showed he lacked legal immigration status.

Alvarado-Velez admitted he had been drinking and smelled of alcohol, and he had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, Trooper D.A. Knapp reported.

Booking personnel at the Wake County Detention Center listed Alvarado-Velez as having no permanent address in Wilmington. Knapp said Alvarado-Velez told the trooper he was in the Raleigh area to "hang with friends."

The new charges list 1800 Gorman St. in Raleigh as Alvarado-Velez's address.

Prior to Tuesday's charges, Alvarado-Velez was held in the Wake County jail in lieu of $53,000 bail. That amount was increased by $75,000 with the latest charge, for a total bail of $128,000, a jail spokesman reported.

This story was originally published April 10, 2018 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Suspect in fatal wrong-way crash in Wake County faces another felony charge."