Search warrants unsealed Friday spell out how Durham police say they tracked down the driver accused in a Sept. 13, 2025 hit-and-run that killed 61-year-old Richard Ferguson Jr. According to the court papers, a vehicle went off Chalk Level Road in the 900 block, plowed through two signs and then hit Ferguson near a bus stop. He was taken to a hospital, where he died about 40 minutes later.
Warrants Lay Out the Clues Investigators Followed
Court filings reviewed by The News & Observer detail how investigators combined witness accounts with physical evidence. Witnesses reported seeing an orange or red Jeep Wrangler with a hard top leaving the area. Officers later documented blue fibers on the front-left corner of a bumper and front-end damage that included a sheared front-right wheel, a dented bumper and a cracked headlight area. According to the warrants, investigators say that damage lined up with what they found at the crash scene.
From Street Descriptions to a Suspect in Custody
Police say they matched the witness descriptions and the specific pattern of damage to a particular vehicle, which led them to 30-year-old Wilmer Fuentes Mejia. Prosecutors have charged him with involuntary manslaughter, hit-and-run and related driving offenses. A judge set his secured bond at $5,000,000, as reported by WRAL.
What Court Records Say About Fuentes Mejia
Search warrants and court records show Fuentes Mejia previously pleaded guilty to driving while impaired in May 2023. They also state that when he was arrested in this case, officers served him with an outstanding misdemeanor DWI warrant from 2020. The documents say he told police he had been drinking and did not remember any crashes other than one at a supermarket, according to The News & Observer.
Family Grieves, Neighbors Press for Chalk Level Road Fixes
Ferguson’s relatives described him as a longtime Durham worker and said they were devastated by his death. Some family members also voiced relief when the judge imposed the high bond amount. Neighbors and safety advocates have renewed calls for traffic calming along Chalk Level Road. WRAL reports the city has put down temporary pavement markings and plans to add permanent striping when weather and resources allow.
Legal Stakes Rise as Feds Step In
Fuentes Mejia remains in custody while state prosecutors prepare their case. Federal immigration officials have also lodged a detainer, which federal authorities say could keep him in custody while the criminal case moves forward. The Department of Homeland Security and local reporting describe the immigration detainer and the defendant’s prior deportations, as reported by Fox News.
The newly unsealed warrants add detailed forensic and witness evidence to the state’s investigation as pretrial filings advance in Durham County court. The probe remains active, and prosecutors say they will review the search-warrant material as part of their case preparation.
