Posted on 12/10/2004 4:10:30 PM PST by JackelopeBreeder
PHOENIX - Two men involved in the Oct. 16 vehicle wreck in Sierra Vista that caused the deaths of two local residents and three illegal immigrants could face the death penalty, federal authorities said Thursday.
Jimir Valle Martinez, 21, of Honduras, and Carlos Cortez, 29, of Mexico, were two of four illegal immigrants indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson on Wednesday, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona.
Valle is accused of driving the stolen Ford F-350 in which 17 illegal immigrants were crammed. Cortez is accused of being the "co-pilot" of the vehicle. Jose Luis Zepeda-Cruz, 24, of Mexico, and Wilbert Garcia, 20, of Honduras, also were named in the 16-county indictment.
Fleeing from an initial pursuit by a Cochise County sheriff's deputy, the driver reportedly continued moving fast, even though the deputy broke off pursuit. Other law enforcement agencies became involved as the driver continued without slowing down.
The stolen Ford pickup truck later entered the intersection of Highway 90 and the bypass near Fort Huachuca's East Gate, at which time the driver lost control, careening into a number of vehicles stopped at the intersection. According to an Arizona Department of Public Safety accident report obtained by the Herald/Review, a tire deflation device was put out on the northbound portion of the highway.
As the truck approached the intersection, the driver initially steered right, but then made a hard left, causing the vehicle to rotate counterclockwise, the report states. However, the report does not indicate if the truck ran over the deflation spikes.
The Ford "approached the intersection at a speed between 91 and 103 miles per hour," according to the DPS report.
The vehicle went airborne, causing it to hit nine vehicles waiting in the southbound left turn lane, the report states.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, a number of illegal immigrants in the stolen Ford were thrown from the vehicle once the chain-reaction accident began.
Huachuca City residents James Lee and Emilia Guthrie Lee, whose vehicle was crushed by the truck, and three illegal immigrants from Mexico - Maria Del Pilar Hernandez-Espinoza, Mauro Guadalupe Macedas-Hernandez and Eric Sanchez-Dominguez - were killed in the incident. A pregnant Mexican illegal immigrant also lost her child due to the wreck.
Twenty-one people were injured in the incident.
Zepeda-Cruz and Garcia have been charged with guiding a group of approximately 34 illegal immigrants across the border from Mexico into the United States. Once the large group entered the United States, they split up - half being put into the Ford.
Cortez and Valle are both charged with conspiracy to bring in illegal aliens for profit, conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit and transporting illegal aliens resulting in death.
If convicted of the first two charges, the men each face 40 years in prison, a $500,000 fine or both.
If convicted of causing the deaths of the five people listed in the indictment, the maximum sentence is death or life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Zepeda-Cruz and Garcia are charged with conspiracy to bring in illegal aliens for profit, conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit and bringing in illegal aliens for profit.
They face a maximum prison sentence of 60 years and $750,000 in fines if convicted of the three charges.
The joint investigation was conducted by agents from the Douglas office of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and officers of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
"This case again shows the complete disregard human smugglers have for the welfare of the migrants they're purporting to help," said Kent Johansson, deputy special agent-in-charge of the Tucson ICE office.
Ping!
ping
Index
$750,000 in fines, if convicted of the three charges, which will never be collected.
I guess we'll have to make do with two executions and two 60-year sentences. I want a very harsh message sent south to the coyotes.
Two dead Americans, and Emilia was a friend to a generation of Army linguists. Four dead Mexicans counting the unborn baby none of the press usually bothers to mention. Twenty-one injured, fifteen so severely they had to be flown out to the trauma centers in Tucson and Phoenix.
Coyotes should be shot at the border. It's called "wartime rules of engagement." That's what sane nations institute, during times of war.
Just doing the work Americans won't do....Next question is did he have a Driver's License and if so from what state?
She lost her child and the lifetime of welfare benefits she was seeking. The death penalty would certainly be appropriate in a case like this --- total disregard for life --- just sheer greed.
Since their most-favored "noble savages" were responsible the press bent over backward trying to deflect their guilt. Unfortunately for the commie traitor fifth columnists they had no way to conceal the irony of illegal aliens slaying bystander illegal aliens (too numerous to miss).
Yes --- if only the two Americans were all that had been killed, it would not be seen as much of a crime --- that's not politically correct enough.
Yep, too numerous to miss. Any large accident in the SW is likely to kill illegals in other cars, or just standing around!
Bienvenidos a Aztlan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.