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 Houghs 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 drivers 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 Rodriguezs son, and was planning to move in with Rodriguezs 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.
Your summary leaves out an important point; that the story makes everyone sound like an equal victim in the “accident”. And note the “struggling with alcoholism”. Yeah, right. I don’t think trouble opening your next bottle while your already drunk qualifies as “struggling with alcoholism”. The “journalist” who wrote this piece should be keel-hauled.
I thought the same thing. The author must have started to feel a bit of liberal guilt as he was finishing the piece and so added the paragraph at the end.
Another the-wages-of-shamnesty-are-death Ping.
I know Merrillville from my Purdue days. It was a landmark point between school and Chicago during weekend roadtrips. There used to be a good Mexican restaurant right off the highway if I recall that served some great Margaritas. We used to stay in the Knights Inn nearby now and then. They were pretty happy when we left...
I had the same thoughts as you guys...
...but for better or worse, this also popped in to my poor old addled mind:
Mario Cadena sped west, past a stop sign and into Houghs Ford Explorer, driving the truck into Weiss Mustang. No one emerged alive from the twisted wreckage.
Well we all drive *past* stop signs. Could it be that THROUGH is the correct word choice here? Geez.
I read this crap all the time, yet......every stinking one of these doofus candidates for POTUS pretend this isn’t even an issue yet......they get away with ignoring US citizens in favor of Mexicans.
They are going to keep getting away with it because We The People have let them.
Anyone ever notice how the illegal lawbreakers keep protesting and get heard, but We The People do not demand to be heard on this issue?
Oh, and John McCain is as bad, or worse than, the two idiotic worthless Democrats.
Appalling. RIP for the victims of the criminal.
Are there any other kind???
The “homicide car crasher” gets equal billing with the innocent victims. Sickening journalist piece of scum.
And where is the outrage? Illegals killing more and more US Citizens. Through rape and murder, through drunk driving, through various other means...
We need to hold our public officials responsible for their duty to protect the US from this illegal invasion.
I say every one of these criminal illegals needs to be loaded into a C-130. Deport them by flying at about 500 feet above their respective home country’s capitol and shove them out of the plane. Parachute is optional.
I know people are going to say he was illegal and he was drunk, Rodriguez said.
But only because he was illegal and he was drunk.
To bad returning home wasn't one of them
Oh, please-—another suckup media sob story? When will they report these illegals despise America and Americans. They invade our country, not to live the American dream, but to give Americans a nightmare.
The escalating number of Americans killed by illegals in autos makes one suspect these invaders are being tasked as kamikaze drivers by their handlers.
Are they on the hunt for Americans to kill? As one FReeper posted-— “puttng one over on Americanos” is considered a great feat of latino machismo.
Must be a laugh riot in Mehico over tequilas about how the Mehicans duped Bush.
'Drunk Illegal Kills Three'
Also proof of why the "we must document them so we know who they are" people are deluding themselves:
His work visa had long ago expired...
"We" knew who this turd was and "we" did nothing about it.
Where’s the obligatory BARF ALERT ????????????
What state is this ????????
Indiana
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