Illegal alien fugitive captured after 14 years on Washington’s Most Wanted list for fleeing crash that killed teen

An illegal alien fugitive who spent 14 years on Washington State Patrol’s Most Wanted list after allegedly fleeing a deadly crash is finally in custody, officials announced Friday.

Manuel Cortez-Vargas, 33, was arrested April 30 in Madera, California, after WSP detectives worked with the Madera Police Department to track him down. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Madera County Jail, where he awaits extradition to Skagit County.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that Cortez-Vargas is in the US illegally.

The case dates back to March 5, 2012, when WSP says Cortez-Vargas was driving a silver Honda Accord on Sapp Road in Skagit County. Authorities say he failed to negotiate a curve, causing the vehicle to roll and land upside down in a slough beside the road.

Inside the car was 19-year-old Cameron Sheridan. WSP said Sheridan became trapped in the overturned vehicle and drowned. The crash happened around 3 am near Sedro-Woolley, and the car was upside down and partially submerged when police arrived. Cortez-Vargas was long gone after allegedly fleeing the scene instead of reporting the accident to authorities.

Cortez-Vargas was placed on WSP’s Most Wanted list in 2012 after failing to appear in court on charges tied to the fatal hit-and-run. The case carried allegations of vehicular homicide and hit-and-run fatality, according to WSP’s Most Wanted notice.

“This arrest shows our commitment to public safety and justice,” WSP Chief John R. Batiste said in a statement. “We do not forget, and we do not stop.”

WSP credited the Madera Police Department for assisting in the arrest, saying the capture helped bring “a measure of justice” to Sheridan’s family.