North Carolina College Couple Killed in Jan. 16 DUI Crash; Suspected Driver Had 2020 DWI Dismissed and Now Faces Felony Death‑by‑Vehicle Charges and ICE Detainer
On Jan. 16 a vehicle crash in North Carolina killed college soccer player Fletcher Harris, 20, and his girlfriend Skylar Provenza, 19; the suspected driver, Juan Alvarado Aguilar, has been arrested, charged with felony death-by-vehicle and is subject to an ICE detainer. Court records show Aguilar previously faced a 2020 Cabarrus County DWI dismissed "with leave" (which can allow reinstatement) and has two failures to appear; troopers reported a strong odor of alcohol at the scene, said Aguilar appeared unsteady and admitted driving, prosecutors sought to raise bond to $2 million and the judge set it at more than $5 million.
📌 Key Facts
- Juan Alvarado Aguilar is accused in the Jan. 16 crash that killed college soccer player Fletcher Harris, 20, and his girlfriend Skylar Provenza, 19; Harris’s funeral was held Jan. 22 in Mooresville.
- Troopers at the crash scene reported a strong odor of alcohol, said Aguilar admitted driving, and that he appeared unsteady—stumbling into a trooper—after which a blood draw was taken at a hospital.
- Court records show Aguilar was charged with driving while impaired in Cabarrus County on Nov. 5, 2020; that case was dismissed 'with leave,' a status that allows prosecutors to reinstate the earlier DWI under limited circumstances.
- Prosecutors told the court Aguilar has two prior failures to appear in addition to the unresolved 2020 DWI charge.
- At a Jan. 21 hearing prosecutors asked to raise Aguilar’s bond from $250,000 to $2 million; the judge set bond at more than $5 million, citing concern about his appearance in court.
- The case and the dismissed 2020 DWI have prompted political backlash: Rep. Mark Harris and other GOP lawmakers blamed 'sanctuary policies' and Democratic leaders for allowing Aguilar to remain on the road.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 25, 2026
1:00 PM
College soccer star, girlfriend dead as illegal immigrant’s record ignites lawmaker fury statewide
New information:
- Confirms identities and ages of the victims as college soccer player Fletcher Harris, 20, and his girlfriend Skylar Provenza, 19, and notes Harris’s funeral was held Jan. 22 in Mooresville.
- Adds detail that officers at the crash scene reported a strong odor of alcohol and that Aguilar appeared unsteady on his feet when arrested.
- Quotes North Carolina Rep. Mark Harris and describes broader GOP political reaction blaming 'sanctuary policies' and Democratic leaders for allowing Aguilar to remain on the road.
January 21, 2026
9:42 PM
Illegal immigrant accused in deaths of college soccer player, girlfriend had prior DWI dismissed: records
New information:
- Court records show Juan Alvarado Aguilar was charged with driving while impaired in Cabarrus County on Nov. 5, 2020; the case was dismissed 'with leave', meaning it was taken off the docket without being fully terminated.
- Prosecutors told the court Aguilar has two prior failures to appear in court in addition to the unresolved 2020 DWI charge.
- At the Jan. 21 hearing, prosecutors asked to raise Aguilar’s bond from $250,000 to $2 million, but the judge went further and set bond at more than $5 million, citing concern about his appearance in court.
- Troopers testified that the smell of alcohol at the Jan. 16 crash scene was so strong it overwhelmed other odors, that Aguilar admitted driving and stumbled into a trooper while being escorted, leading to a blood draw at a hospital.
- The article clarifies that the 2020 'dismissed with leave' status legally allows prosecutors to reinstate that earlier DWI charge under limited circumstances, adding fire to criticism of how the case was handled before the fatal crash.
January 20, 2026