Illegal Immigrant Arrested in Indiana After Hitting Two Firefighters

Two Indianapolis firefighters were struck by a speeding car early Saturday while assisting at a crash scene on I-65, leaving one with serious injuries and the driver facing multiple charges, including operating while intoxicated.

An investigation is underway following a crash on Interstate 65 that left two Indianapolis firefighters injured early Saturday morning. The incident occurred just after 4 a.m. on the southbound lanes between Kessler Boulevard and 38th Street while the firefighters were assisting with a prior accident.

The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) reported that its crew was helping passengers out of a vehicle that had veered off the interstate into a grassy area near mile marker 117. As the firefighters were wrapping up and awaiting state police, a black 2013 Nissan Altima drove through the closed crash scene, speeding along a gravel berm.

Despite both fire vehicles being parked with their emergency lights activated, the Altima crashed into the vehicle the firefighters were assisting. The driver, later identified as 30-year-old Christino Rodrigo Alva of Pueblo, Mexico, then struck two IFD firefighters.

One firefighter was sent airborne by the impact, while the other was pinned beneath Alva’s vehicle. Emergency responders at the scene quickly freed the trapped firefighter and called for additional medical support. Both firefighters were transported to Eskenazi Hospital. One was treated and released, while the other was admitted with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Alva was arrested at the scene and now faces multiple charges, including operating while intoxicated resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony. Alva, who admitted to never having a driver’s license, had a blood alcohol content (BrAC) of .159, according to court records. He is currently being held on an ICE detainer in Marion County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on September 10.

The incident highlights the dangers first responders face while working along busy roadways and the potential consequences of impaired driving.