GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Two communities are sharing in their grief over the death of Nathaniel "Nate" Baker, 21, who was killed earlier this week.
The graduate of Deep Run High School had been studying at the University of South Carolina, where he was a junior working toward a business degree.
Columbia police say that while he was crossing an intersection near campus, he was hit by a pickup truck turning left that failed to yield the right of way.
The driver fled the scene but was later caught and identified as 24-year-old Rosali Fernandez Cruz, who was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement
During his first court appearance, an advocate for Baker's family asked the judge not to grant Cruz bond, which he agreed to.
That fact drew a response from the Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, who tweeted that Cruz is in the country illegally, that Baker should be alive today and the department would "work every day to protect innocent Americans like Nate."
Yesterday, 21-year-old USC student Nathanial “Nate” Baker was driving a motorcycle when he was hit by a truck driver who fled the scene. The hit & run driver was in our country illegally.
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) April 3, 2025
Nate should be alive today. @DHSgov prays for Nate’s family, friends, and loved ones and… pic.twitter.com/BKtVVJuqM9
Baker's obituary says he leaves behind his parents, two siblings, and a larger extended family.
It added he had "an infectious smile and a passion for life that many saw in his daily adventures" and mentioned some of them being family vacations, duck hunting and his dog, adding he always recognized his blessings and was grateful.
It finished by saying Baker "touched the lives of many and truly lived by the motto 'no regrets', experiencing each day with the brightest of sunshine."
The obituary adds there will be a memorial service for Baker on Saturday in Columbia and the family plans to have another one in Glen Allen at a later date.
The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the nonprofit Just Tryan It, which provides support to families whose children are suffering from cancer.
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