A Guatemalan national with a prior record of driving under the influence has been arrested and charged in connection with a head-on collision in San Diego County that killed an 8-year-old girl and injured several others, according to local authorities.
Brayan Alva-Rodriguez, 25, was allegedly intoxicated when he drove his Toyota Tacoma across the double-yellow line on San Felipe Road near Ranchita on Sunday, colliding head-on with a Toyota Camry, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
An 8-year-old girl is dead because our government refused to enforce its own immigration laws. The driver suspected in the Julian, California head-on crash, Brayan Josue Alva-Rodriguez, is an illegal alien from Guatemala who entered the U.S. in 2018, racked up two DUIs, was… https://t.co/jKIjRKwDOt pic.twitter.com/vm3Wfaebbt
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) December 3, 2025
After the initial impact, his truck struck a Ford F-350 with a utility trailer that had been traveling ahead of him, causing the Tacoma to flip and catch fire, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Alva-Rodriguez and a passenger were able to exit the vehicle before it burned, though both sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital.
Authorities said seven people were injured in total.
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Three children were seated in the back of the Camry at the time of the collision, including a 4-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy, and the 8-year-old girl who died.
Alva-Rodriguez, listed in county booking records as “Brayan Rodriguez Alva,” was booked Thursday by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
He is charged with first-degree murder, two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, and multiple felony counts related to driving under the influence and causing bodily injury to the seven individuals involved in the crash.
🚨 San Diego County, CA: Illegal alien Brayan Josue Alva-Rodriguez has been charged with Murder and Vehicular Manslaughter in connection with a head-on collision that killed an 8-year-old girl identified as “Aria T” and injured seven others – alcohol is suspected to be a factor.… pic.twitter.com/WxO6IpgEoE
— Illegal Alien Crimes (@ImmigrantCrimes) December 5, 2025
According to Department of Homeland Security officials, Alva-Rodriguez had previously been charged with DUIs in San Diego and Vista on September 6, 2020, and April 7, 2021.
The latter incident also included a hit-and-run charge.
Authorities said his date of entry into the United States has not been confirmed.
He is currently being held at the San Diego Central Jail on a bond exceeding $2 million.
His next court appearance is scheduled for January 7, 2026.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued an arrest detainer seeking custody of Alva-Rodriguez for potential deportation proceedings.
The sheriff’s office recently rejected a separate ICE detainer involving another migrant, Mexican national Hector Balderas-Aheelor, who is accused of killing an 11-year-old boy in a hit-and-run incident in Escondido on November 26.
The office cited California’s “sanctuary” law, which limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities when the individual has no prior criminal convictions.
ICE records show the detainer noted that Balderas-Aheelor would be subject to removal following conviction.
He has been deported from the United States four times since 2004, according to prosecutors.
The Escondido case involved the death of Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz, 11, who was hit while chasing his soccer ball into the street near his home.
Balderas-Aheelor allegedly fled the scene. Aiden died at a hospital on Thanksgiving Day.
Community members held a vigil near the family’s home, and relatives shared tributes to the boy online.
Balderas-Aheelor is being held on $300,000 bail. During a Wednesday arraignment, prosecutors argued that he posed a flight risk and described him as a “transient.”
Deputy District Attorney Nicole Gerard stated, “This case is a tragedy and every parents’ worst nightmare. We are doing everything in our power to get justice for Aiden’s family.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement addressing both cases.
“How many deaths of children at the hands of criminal illegal aliens need to happen before Governor Newsom and sanctuary politicians will prioritize the safety and security of American families?” she said.
“This serial drunk driver should have never been allowed back onto California roads.”
McLaughlin added, “We are praying for the family of this child who will be grieving this holiday season. Secretary Noem is calling on Governor Newsom to honor this ICE arrest detainer for this illegal alien.”
In response, Newsom’s office said following Balderas-Aheelor’s arrest that “nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case.”
This is a complete lie.
As we have repeatedly said: The state coordinates with ICE on the deportation of convicted criminals.
California honors federal criminal warrants.
Nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case. https://t.co/0gTkkr1Pzz
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) December 3, 2025
