Southwest
Illegal immigrant, deported 5 times, charged in hit-and-run death of Texas boy
An illegal migrant who was previously deported five times has been charged in the fatal hit-and-run death of a 10-year-old boy in Texas, according to reports.
Rogelio Ortiz, 50, was arrested last week by the Midland Police Department and charged with a hit-and-run accident causing death for allegedly striking the boy with a black truck on the afternoon of Feb. 8. The victim was hit in the 1900 block of South Lamesa Road in Midland, which is about 320 miles northwest of San Antonio.
The boy, named by his school as Alex Wise, died from his injuries the following day after he had been airlifted to hospital in critical condition, police said.
Rogelio Ortiz, who was deported five times before allegedly striking a boy in a hit-and-run incident. (Midland County Sheriff’s Office Records Department)
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Ortiz was on an immigration detainer and was deported at least five separate times, according to CBS7. His identity was confirmed by fingerprints taken during his first removal.
Ortiz is also facing a driving while intoxicated charge (DWI), according to the Midland County Sheriff’s Office website, although it’s unclear if this is concerning the hit-and-run.
The boy’s aunt launched a GoFundMe to generate funds to pay for Wise’s funeral costs. The GoFundMe has received more than $22,000 in donations as of Saturday, Feb. 17.
“Aj was the sweetest, coolest, funniest little boy you ever would meet,” Wise’s aunt wrote.
One of the donors chipped in $10 and said he was Wise’s friend. Wise was a student at Individuals Dedicated to Excellence and Achievement Public Schools (IDEA) Travis.
“I knew Alex he was my friend, he was a really great friend [and] always tried to make everyone laugh and smile he was always happy and made everyone’s day.
“We all really miss him… even the people that barely knew him cried that sad day because he was amazing to everyone. He was so nice and caring and was just a great kid and a great friend, we miss you Alex a lot, fly high.”
A memorial fundraiser is being held on Saturday for Wise, according to IDEA Travis. Last Monday, Wise’s family and the school held a balloon release in his memory on the school’s outdoor basketball courts.
Alex Wise, who died in a hit-and-run incident. (GoFundMe)
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Wise’s death brought the wrath of Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who pinned the incident on the nation’s lax border.
“How many more Americans have to die before Joe Biden secures the border?” Nehls wrote on X.
There are an estimated 16.8 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. as of June 2023, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report for fiscal 2023 shows that the number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in FY 2022 to nearly 6.2 million in FY 2023.
A map pinpointing where the hit and run took place. (Google Maps)
IDEA Travis and the Midland Independent School District released a statement expressing their condolences following the “tragic” incident.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family and loved ones. Counselors will be providing mental health support for students and staff on campus. As the safety of our students continues to be our number one priority, we are urging drivers to exercise caution when pedestrians are present to prevent tragedies.”
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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