Laurens, S.C.; December 18, 2024 – An undocumented immigrant received the maximum prison sentence for his role in a crash that killed a 3-year-old girl, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Wednesday.
Gabriel Arteaga-Arteaga, 26, was found guilty Wednesday afternoon by a Laurens County jury of reckless homicide and driving without a license. Circuit Judge Frank R. Addy Jr. then sentenced Arteaga-Arteaga to 10 years in prison on the reckless homicide charge—the maximum sentence allowed under South Carolina law for that charge—and 45 days on the charge of driving without a license, second offense.
Arteaga-Arteaga was driving a white pickup truck on the afternoon of Sunday, October 8, 2023, along Chestnut Ridge Road in Laurens County when he completely disregarded the stop sign at Highway 76 and struck a red SUV driven by Ms. Teresa Leopard on the passenger side. Leopard had three passengers in her vehicle: her daughter Chelsey Hines, Hines’ 7-year-old daughter Kinsley, and Hines’ 3-year-old-daughter, Madison. Madison Hines received fatal injuries as a result of the crash. Chelsey Hines also received serious injuries as a result of the collision.
Arteaga-Arteaga is an undocumented immigrant and did not have a driver’s license at the time of the crash. When asked for his license at the scene, Arteaga-Arteaga handed the trooper a Mexican identification card. A witness, Robin Thomason, who lives in the area, testified that Arteaga-Arteaga pull out in front of him and almost caused another collision just moments before at another nearby intersection. There was no evidence of impairment due to alcohol or drugs involved in the collision.
Solicitor Stumbo and Deputy Solicitor Josh Thomas prosecuted the case for the state with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Joey Pittman and 8th Circuit Victim Advocate Lauren Powers. Arteaga-Arteaga was represented by Zachary Farr of the Spartanburg County Bar.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff and the South Carolina Highway Patrol in securing the conviction and maximum prison sentence.
“As a farther myself I am devastated for Chris and Chelsey’s loss of little Maddie so needlessly,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the sentencing. “The unfortunate reality is that this man was in our country illegally, operating a vehicle illegally, and driving our roads with blatant disregard for the safety of others. I am hopeful that the time of bad actors like Arteaga-Arteaga so easily making their way across our porous southern border is coming to an end.”