An illegal immigrant accused in a fatal DUI crash that killed a beloved college soccer player and his girlfriend in North Carolina had a prior DWI charge dismissed years earlier — a history now fueling renewed debate over immigration enforcement, court records show.

Court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show Juan Alvarado Aguilar, 37, was charged with driving while impaired in Cabarrus County on Nov. 5, 2020. The case was dismissed with leave by the district attorney, a procedural move under North Carolina law that removes a case from the court docket without terminating it and allows prosecutors to reinstate the charge under limited circumstances.

The unresolved status of that prior DWI charge has drawn renewed scrutiny following the fatal crash that killed Fletcher Harris, 20, and Skylar Provenza, 19.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the crash happened late Friday night when Aguilar crossed the center line and collided head-on with another vehicle on Amity Hill Road.

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Aguilar appeared in court Tuesday with the assistance of a Spanish translator and faces two counts of felony death by vehicle and one count of driving while impaired in connection with the Jan. 16 crash, according to WCNC.

Prosecutors requested Aguilar’s bond be increased from an initial $250,000 to $2 million, citing his criminal history and concerns he could flee. The judge exceeded that request, setting bond at more than $5 million.

“I’m very concerned about his appearance in court and the facts of this case,” the judge said before issuing the bond decision, WCNC reported.

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Prosecutors told the court that a state trooper noted the odor of alcohol at the scene was so strong it overwhelmed other smells, including burnt rubber and oil. Aguilar admitted he was the driver and that no one else was inside his vehicle, according to court testimony.

Troopers also testified that Aguilar was stumbling at the scene and fell into a trooper as he was walking to a patrol car before being handcuffed. He later complained of back pain and was taken to a hospital, where his blood was drawn as part of the investigation, prosecutors said.

During the hearing, prosecutors revealed Aguilar has two prior failures to appear in court and a previous DWI charge on his record. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer has also been placed on him, according to WCNC, with prosecutors arguing he posed a significant flight risk.

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Jail records show Aguilar is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center with his next court appearance scheduled for March 2.

Harris was a member of the Catawba College men’s soccer program for three seasons and was pursuing a double major in environmental and sustainability studies and biology, according to the school. The college said Harris was consistently recognized on the presidential honor roll and the dean’s list.

North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall said the case underscores what he described as the deadly consequences of weak immigration enforcement.

In a statement, Hall blamed federal border policies for the deaths, saying, “The lives of Fletcher Harris and Skylar Provenza were senselessly taken by an illegal alien driving while impaired. He had no business being in our country and two more young lives have been stolen by open border policies.”

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Republican Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina also weighed in on the case, blaming what he described as the state’s “sanctuary policies” for the deaths.

“Fletcher and Skylar are the latest victims of NC’s deadly sanctuary policies,” Harris wrote on X. “They were allegedly killed by an illegal alien with a prior DUI in a head-on crash. They should still be here—but radical pro-crime Democrats protect criminal aliens instead.”

The case has also renewed attention on federal legislation aimed at illegal immigrants convicted of serious impaired driving offenses.

Sen. John Cornyn’s proposed Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act would classify DUI or DWI offenses that result in death or serious bodily injury as aggravated felonies under federal immigration law, making offenders subject to removal and barring them from obtaining legal immigration status.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

Brendan Banfield appeared visibly emotional in court Wednesday as jurors watched police body camera video from the night his wife was killed, wiping away tears as a police detective walked the jury through the video.

Det. Zachary Beckner returned to the stand during the defense’s case to discuss video recorded by responding officers. As the video played in the courtroom, Banfield shook his head, sniffled and used tissues to wipe his eyes while seated.

The video showed officers’ response to the home where Banfield’s wife, Christine Banfield, was found stabbed in February 2023. Another man, Joseph Ryan, was also killed.

Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the February 2023 killings of Christine and Ryan inside their home in Herndon, Virginia, an affluent suburb of Washington, D.C. Prosecutors allege he orchestrated the killings to cover up his relationship with the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. Banfield has pleaded not guilty.

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The emotional courtroom moment came as the defense continued presenting its case, which has included efforts to challenge forensic evidence and to emphasize Banfield’s reaction in the immediate aftermath of his wife’s death.

Jurors watched as the bodycam video was replayed. Banfield did not speak during the video but remained visibly emotional throughout.

On Tuesday, the prosecution rested its case, prompting defense attorneys to ask the judge to dismiss the charges, arguing the state failed to present enough evidence directly tying Banfield to the killings.

The judge denied that motion, allowing the trial to move forward.

Prosecutors have relied on testimony from Magalhães, who admitted her role in the killings under a plea agreement. She told jurors she was involved in a sexual relationship with Banfield and said the two plotted to kill Christine and make Ryan’s death appear to be the result of a consensual encounter gone wrong.

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She testified that Banfield controlled the planning, created an online profile using his wife’s credentials and ultimately stabbed Christine after shooting Ryan.

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Defense attorneys have attacked Magalhães’ credibility and argued the state’s case relies on inconsistent evidence.

The trial is ongoing in Fairfax County Circuit Court.

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An 18-year-old admitted Wednesday to carrying out a 2022 mass shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina, which killed five people – including his older brother and a police officer – pleading guilty to murder and multiple other charges just days before trial.

The Associated Press reported that Austin David Thompson pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assaulting an officer with a gun.

Thompson was 15 when prosecutors say he opened fire in his Raleigh neighborhood, killing Thompson’s brother James Thompson, along with 52-year-old Nicole Connors, 29-year-old Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres, 34-year-old Mary Marshall and 49-year-old Susan Karnatz. He had been scheduled to face a state murder trial later this month before changing his plea.

Thompson’s lawyers announced Tuesday that he would plead guilty to all charges after months of pretrial motions seeking to restrict what evidence and testimony prosecutors could present. In court filings, his attorneys said avoiding a trial would “save the community and the victims from as much additional infliction of trauma as possible.”

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Wearing a quarter-zip sweater and slacks, Thompson offered few words as Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway questioned him and formally accepted the guilty pleas.

Ridgeway scheduled sentencing for Feb. 2, a hearing expected to span several days. Thompson and his attorney confirmed no plea deal was reached with prosecutors.

Because Thompson was a minor at the time of the shootings, he is not eligible for the death penalty. Ridgeway could impose life sentences without parole, though state law also allows for sentences that make him eligible for parole after at least 25 years. A recent ruling by state appeals judges capped the amount of time juvenile offenders must serve before becoming eligible for parole at 40 years.

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The case was delayed while Thompson recovered from a gunshot wound that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman has said was self-inflicted before his arrest, an injury his attorneys contend caused significant brain damage.

In court, Assistant District Attorney Patrick Latour outlined the evidence prosecutors would have presented at trial, describing the sequence of events on Oct. 13, 2022.

Latour said Thompson first shot and then repeatedly stabbed James inside the family’s home in the Hedingham neighborhood. Prosecutors said Thompson then moved through the neighborhood armed with a shotgun and a handgun, killing Connors and then Torres. Another neighbor was wounded and survived.

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Authorities said Thompson later continued the attack on a nearby greenway trail, where he fatally shot Marshall and Karnatz.

Police said officers eventually located Thompson near McConnell Oliver Drive, where he opened fire, wounding Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark. Multiple officers returned fire, discharging about 23 rounds before Thompson was placed in handcuffs.

“At the time, he was wearing camouflage clothing and a backpack, and a handgun was in his waistband. The backpack contained various items, including several types of shotgun/rifle ammunition. A sheath for a large knife was found clipped to his belt, and a large hunting knife was found at the front of the outbuilding. A shotgun and shotgun shells were lying on the ground near him,” Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson said in a report at the time.

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Wednesday’s hearing offered few new details about Thompson’s motive. His attorneys wrote this week that a brain injury suffered during the case has left him unable to explain why he carried out the shootings.

Latour said a note written by Thompson addressed why he killed his brother, but the contents were not disclosed in court and were ordered sealed. Latour also said investigators recovered records showing Thompson searched online for information about mass shootings and related topics, evidence the defense said could be challenged at sentencing.

Robert Steele, the fiancé of Marshall, said after the hearing that Thompson should be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

“That’s justice,” Steele said. “He took five people’s lives; he tried to take two others.”

In 2024, Thompson’s father pleaded guilty to improperly storing a handgun authorities said was found with his son after the attack and received a suspended sentence and probation.

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Investigators also seized 11 firearms and 160 boxes of ammunition – some of them empty – from the Thompson home, according to search warrants. Latour said Thompson and his family were avid hunters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.