Posted on 05/05/2008 1:49:19 AM PDT by ruination
MERRILLVILLE — Friends and family mourned the death of a prominent attorney, a young couple soon to be married and a Mexican immigrant who had long struggled with a drinking problem — all four of them killed in three-car collision Wednesday near the border of Merrillville and Winfield.
Only a day after ending a high-profile dogfighting trial, Garry Weiss was driving south on Randolph Street toward his home in Lakes of the Four Seasons after league night at Stardust Bowl in Merrillville. Heading north on Randolph were Steve Hough, 26, and his girlfriend, Amy Bartelmey, 25, who made their home in Hobart.
As Hough and Weiss pulled into the intersection of Randolph and 101st Avenue, Mario Cadena sped west, past a stop sign and into Hough’s Ford Explorer, driving the truck into Weiss’ Mustang. No one emerged alive from the twisted wreckage.
Merrillville police declined comment on the crash but said high speed was a factor. The Lake County coroner will not have results of blood toxicology reports for several days. Police sources say they believe Cadena had been drinking, and a beer bottle was on the front seat of his ruined Jeep Cherokee at the police impound yard.
Hough was due to graduate from Purdue University Calumet in two weeks with a degree in public relations, and had picked out an engagement ring for Bartelmey, his girlfriend of more than a year. Bartelmey, who had a 2-year-old son from a previous relationship, was a hair stylist and hoped to work at a high-end salon.
“(Hough) could have done anything he wanted, he was that kind of guy,” said Jessica DeKruiff, a classmate. “I know he was really ready to get a job, so he and Amy could get a place of their own and get a wedding ring.”
Weiss, 53, is survived by two high school-age children and his wife, who attended several days of his most recent trial in Lake County, in which Weiss defended Gary firefighter Carlton Davis Jr. against charges he operated a dogfighting kennel. Davis was found guilty on 23 of the 26 counts against him, but Weiss had said he would appeal the verdict.
“He was just the nicest, funniest guy,” said Jennifer Campbell, a lawyer at Weiss’ firm. “He was everything a lawyer, and a person, should try to be. He just believed lawyers should help people.”
“Honestly, if he heard about (Cadena) or someone like him, and the thought he could help him, he might have done it.” Cadena, 30, had lived in the U.S. for 12 years and had no driver’s license.
His work visa had long ago expired, but he continued to live and work in and around Crown Point, often holding down several jobs at once so he could send money to his family in Mexico, said Kim Rodriguez, who had dated Cadena for several years.
Cadena had struggled with alcoholism, and he and Rodriguez remained close even after breaking off their relationship two years ago. Cadena was a father figure for Rodriguez’s son, and was planning to move in with Rodriguez’s mother in hopes of kicking his drinking habit.
Rodriguez said she last spoke to Cadena on Monday, and had no idea if he had been drinking the night of the crash.
“I know people are going to say he was illegal and he was drunk,” Rodriguez said. “He was battling (alcoholism) as hard as he could. He was still reading his Bible every day, and he had things he wanted to do.”
““I know people are going to say he was illegal and he was drunk,” Rodriguez said.”
Duh....
Friends and family mourned the death of a prominent attorney, a young couple soon to be married and a Mexican immigrant who had long struggled with a drinking problem
I bet the only ones mourning the drunk illegal alien are his family. The rest of the people in this town should be pi$$ed.
first.lady@whitehouse.gov
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