The Wilson Times – by Lisa Boykin
Marcos Santiaga Bautista of Sims, who was charged Thursday with felony hit-and-run, is a fugitive with an outstanding deportation warrant, according the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Bautista, a native of Mexico, failed to attend a non-detention immigration hearing in South Carolina.
At his first court appearance Friday morning in Wilson County, Bautista’s bond was increased to $1,002,000.
Vicent Picard, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Southern Region, said a detainer has been placed on Bautista with the Wilson County Jail.
“Following the adjudication of his criminal charges and the completion of any sentence imposed, Mr. Bautista will be taken into ICE custody for removal from the United States.”
On Thursday morning, siblings German Arroyo-Correa, 10, and Areli Arroyo-Correa, 5, were struck by a Ford Explorer while they were getting on their school bus before 7 on Rock Ridge Sims Road. The driver of the vehicle left the scene, according to Lt. Jeff Gordon, N.C. Highway Patrol spokesman.
The vehicle was located by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office soon after the accident, and Bautista was taken into custody.
In addition to hit-and-run, he has also been charged with felony passing a stopped school bus, no operator’s license, failure to register a motor vehicle and displaying fictitious registration. His bond was set at $30,000 Thursday.
The children were reported in stable condition Thursday night.
The Rock Ridge School community is holding a fundraiser at Chick-fil-A on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. to help the family with expenses. Anyone who would like to help can email Buffy Poole at buffypoole@gmail.com or Marian Matthews at mariansmathews@ymail.com.
Monetary donations can be made to the family as well. Send to Rock Ridge Elementary School, 6605 Rock Ridge School Road, Wilson, NC 27893 with checks made out to the school. On the memo line write Arroyo-Correa family.