$5M Bond, ICE Detainer in Deadly Crash Case

CLEVELAND, N.C. — Days after a violent late-night crash on Amity Hill Road claimed the lives of two young people, attention remains fixed on the man accused of causing it — and the growing list of charges tied to the case.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, 37-year-old Juan Alvarado Aguilar was driving a pickup truck when it crossed the center line and struck a passenger vehicle head-on. Inside that vehicle were 20-year-old Fletcher Mark Daniel Harris of Catawba and 19-year-old Skylar Nichole Provenza of Statesville. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Troopers say Aguilar survived the crash with minor injuries and was taken into custody shortly afterward.

Authorities say Aguilar was found in possession of a Mexican passport, and investigators indicated they were unable to immediately determine whether he is a U.S. citizen at the time of his arrest.

Charges Filed

Aguilar is currently charged with:

• Two counts of felony death by vehicle

• Driving while impaired

• Driving left of center

• Driving with a revoked license

  
  

Investigators say impairment was a factor in the crash.

Court records also show Aguilar was charged with driving while impaired in 2020 in Cabarrus County, a case that predates the deadly Amity Hill Road collision. The status and disposition of that earlier charge were not immediately clear.

If convicted in the current case, the felony death by vehicle charges alone carry the potential for substantial prison time under North Carolina law.

A Community Still Reeling

The crash has left a lasting mark across the Cleveland and south Iredell communities. A roadside memorial continues to grow along Amity Hill Road, where flowers, candles, and handwritten notes mark the spot where two lives were lost in an instant.

Friends and family describe Harris and Provenza as young adults just beginning to build their futures. Their deaths have renewed calls for accountability and intensified conversations about impaired driving, particularly on rural roads where limited lighting and high speeds leave little margin for error.

Residents familiar with Amity Hill Road say safety concerns existed long before the crash — but many now say the tragedy has permanently changed how they think about everyday drives.

What Comes Next

The investigation remains active, and additional court appearances are expected as the case against Aguilar proceeds. No trial date has been announced.

For now, the legal process moves forward — while two families live with a loss that cannot be reversed.