An illegal immigrant has been charged with murder for a drunk-driving crash in Albertville.
On February 28, Armando Juan Sebastian, 24, was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol when he struck another car driven by 71-year-old Boaz native Phillip McBay. McBay and Jorge Lopez, a passenger riding with Sebastian, were taken to the hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries.
Sebastian was initially charged with first-degree assault. However, his charges were recently upgraded to murder after McBay died as a result of his injuries, Albertville Police Department Chief J.T. Cartee said in a press release.
"Due to the death of Mr. McBay, Mr. Sebastian's charges were upgraded to murder," Cartee said. "He is currently being held in the Marshall County Jail without a bond."
APD confirmed to 1819 News that Sebastian is an "undocumented immigrant" living in Albertville. The city has been the epicenter of illegal immigration in Alabama since the mid-90s, with Hispanics now comprising nearly one-third of its population.
SEE: Albertville: How lax immigration policy drastically changed the character of an Alabama town
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said Sebastain's crime was part of a larger pattern nationwide due to the Biden administration's failure to address the crisis at the U.S. southern border.
"Situations like these are always tragic, no matter the circumstances. But when you learn that the person police say is responsible should never have been here in the first place, it seems to make it worse," Aderholt told 1819 News.
"This is a growing problem in our state and our nation," he added. "Our southern border is wide open with people entering illegally. And we know nothing about their backgrounds, what kind of people they are or their intentions here. Just recently, we have had terrorists come across the border and Chinese nationals. The current Administration has made our border the wild, wild west."
To connect with the story's author or comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.
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