Tennessee Wrong‑Way DUI Crash Kills Motorcyclist; Suspect Held on ICE Detainer

Knoxville police say 27‑year‑old Eric Ramon Alcantara‑Guevara has been charged with vehicular homicide, DUI and leaving the scene after allegedly driving the wrong way on Interstate 640 West on the night of Jan. 18 and colliding head‑on with a westbound motorcycle, killing the rider at the scene near the Broadway exit. Officers say the occupants of the passenger vehicle fled before they arrived, but Alcantara‑Guevara was found and arrested shortly afterward; investigators allege he ran from the crash. Knox County jail and court records show multiple warrants issued Jan. 19, including a $125,000 pre‑trial bond on the vehicular‑homicide count, and note that an ICE immigration hold was placed the same day, indicating federal authorities believe he is in the U.S. unlawfully, though ICE has not yet publicly confirmed his status or any prior contact. Alcantara‑Guevara appeared in court Jan. 20 for required 48‑hour bond hearings and is due back Feb. 26, while Knoxville police say the investigation into the fatal wreck is ongoing and have not yet released the victim’s name pending family notification. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R‑Tenn., has already seized on the case, calling for Alcantara‑Guevara to "face the full wrath of American justice" and be deported if convicted, highlighting how individual criminal cases involving suspected unauthorized immigrants are feeding a wider political fight over immigration enforcement and road safety.