SALISBURY, N.C. — Friends and family of three people killed in a Salisbury hit-and-run crash gathered Friday to remember their lives.
Police say David Garcia-Obrajero, Homero Pineda Delgado and Esteban Salazar Hernandez were killed Saturday night along Highway 150 after their car was struck by another driver.
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Family members of Delgado, a 47-year-old father of four, tell Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that the men had come to the area to pick up a friend who had been drinking, but they never made it home.
Edwin Pineda showed Channel 9’s Dave Faherty a photo of his Uncle Homero.
“They went out there to pick up one of the guys because he was out with some friends and they didn’t want him to drive. And as soon as they came out of the place, that’s where it happened,” Pineda said.
Police later charged Javiel Sola with three counts of felony hit-and-run involving serious injury or death. They say he crashed into a creek, and they had to use a police K-9 to find him.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Javiel Sola is a citizen of El Salvador living in the U.S. without legal status. Channel 9 learned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed a detainer with the Rowan County Jail requesting notification before Sola is released from local custody. Federal officials said Sola had prior convictions in Maryland for reckless endangerment and failure to stop after an accident.
He was in ICE custody at one point but was released in 2016.
[ READ MORE >> ICE files detainer for man accused in deadly Salisbury hit-and-run ]
Marilyn Davis lives next door to Delgado. She said he was always willing to help others.
“It’s one of those things you don’t want to believe happened to somebody,” Davis said. “Especially somebody who is so nice and honest and will do whatever they can to help you.”