A 25-year-old Mexican national illegally present in the United States has been charged in the hit-and-run death of 62-year-old Christopher Babcock in Pitt County, North Carolina. The incident occurred on March 11, 2026, when Babcock was riding his motorcycle near Winterville and was struck by an SUV that turned left in front of him. The driver fled the scene, leaving Babcock with fatal injuries. Erasto Lopez-Gomez was arrested on March 25, 2026, after remaining at large for two weeks. He faces charges of felony hit-and-run resulting in death and is being held on $2 million bond. According to an official press release from the Department of Homeland Security, Lopez-Gomez crossed the southern border near Tucson, Arizona, in March 2024, was apprehended by Border Patrol, and was released into the interior of the country. ICE has lodged a detainer with local authorities. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated, “This criminal illegal alien should have NEVER been in our country and able to kill Christopher Babcock.” Babcock's widow, Donna Babcock, described her husband as a kind and safety-conscious rider and said the incident has devastated her life. This case is documented in the DHS announcement dated March 26, 2026.