Manuel Cortez-Vargas fled after a fatal hit-and-run killed a 19-year-old. Fourteen years later, WSP tracked him to California. (WSP)
MADERA, Calif. — A man on the Washington State Patrol Most Wanted list for more than a decade in a fatal hit-and-run case is now in custody after authorities tracked him to California.
Detectives with the Washington State Patrol, working with the Madera Police Department, arrested Manuel Cortez-Vargas, 33, on April 30 in Madera.
“This arrest shows our commitment to public safety and justice,” WSP Chief John R. Batiste said. “After 14 years on WSP’s Most Wanted list, this individual is now in custody.”
Cortez-Vargas had been on the Washington State Patrol Most Wanted list since 2012, when he failed to appear in court on a hit-and-run fatality charge. The case stems from a rollover crash that killed 19-year-old Cameron Sheridan.
We do not forget, and we do not stop. Our troopers will continue to find and hold offenders accountable.
— WSP Chief John R. Batiste
Arrest Follows New Leads
Over the past several weeks, investigators developed credible information about Cortez-Vargas’ location. As a result, Washington and California authorities coordinated to track him down.
Officers arrested Cortez-Vargas without incident and booked him into the Madera County Jail. Skagit County expects to extradite him so court proceedings on the original charge can resume.
Officials Stress Long-Term Commitment
“We do not forget, and we do not stop,” Batiste said. “Our troopers will continue to find and hold offenders accountable.”
Authorities credited Madera police for their assistance and said the arrest brings a measure of justice to the Sheridan family. The case moves forward in Washington once extradition concludes.
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