Free Republic

A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for driving drunk and crashing into a tree in Rancho Bernardo last year, killing one of his passengers. Jose Gutierrez Acosta, 23, pleaded guilty Nov. 30 in San Diego Superior Court to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and to carrying a false immigration document.He was charged in the death of Alejandro Vivas, 22, of Poway, who was killed on impact. Prosecutors said Acosta had been drinking with friends Oct. 9 at the Poway apartment where he lived with his brother. He was traveling about 80 mph in a 45...

"A suspected illegal alien from Mexico is being held in the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $500,000 after running a red light and broadsiding a family of six, killing three, on Christmas Eve. Carlos Prieto was arraigned this morning and charged with three counts of automobile homicide, three counts of driving under the influence and driving without a license. The charging documents say his blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit, KSL-TV of Salt Lake City, reported. The Ceran family, active in local theater and the Church of Latter Day Saints, were returning home after attending a performance...

An illegal alien charged in connection with an acdcident that claimed the lives of two teenage girls was convicted of DUI two months ago in Chesapeake. The accident occurred late Friday night when Alfredo Ramos crashed into the back of a vehicle at a red light. The rear-ending killed teenagers Allison Kuhnhardt and Tessa Tranchant. 22-year-old Alfredo Ramos was convicted in February on DUI charges from November 13, 2006. The arresting officer commented in his report that Ramos "almost ran him down". He was given a 90 day suspended sentence, fined $250, had his drivers' license suspended, and he ordered...

An illegal immigrant arrested in connection with a collision that killed a father of five was drunk and on drugs, and had four previous drunken driving convictions, law officers said. Jose Pena, 26, was allegedly traveling 90 miles per hour on March 31 when he crossed a double yellow line and hit 33-year-old Kent Boone. He also allegedly had two pounds of crystal methamphetamine in his truck, according to California Highway Patrol officers who later checked Pena's home and found more drugs. Pena was booked into the Solano County Jail on suspicion of murder, driving under the influence and drug...

If Luciano Melendres had been deported to Mexico following his 2006 arrest for driving drunk – or even if a judge last week hadn't suspended his six-month jail sentence and given him 12 months probation – Dacus Lamont Sims, 32, would be alive today.

VIRGINIA BEACH - The father of one of two teens killed in a March crash that police say was caused by a drunken driver has filed a $10 million lawsuit against a restaurant that served the man alcohol and allowed him to drive. In the lawsuit, David Kunhardt claimed that Ensenada Mexican Restaurant failed to protect Alison Kunhardt from imminent danger and essentially acted as Alfredo Ramos' accomplice for not stopping the events that killed his daughter and her close friend. "Ensenada knowingly participated and furthered this crime by continuing to serve him alcohol and is equally responsible," according to...

SAN DIEGO -- An illegal immigrant who ran from a crash that killed his 9-year-old son was is in jail Sunday and facing multiple felony charges, including drunken driving. Marcos Munoz-Sanchez, 33, was booked for several felonies in connection with the accident on westbound Interstate 8 near Texas Street about 1:30 a.m. yesterday, according to California Highway Patrol officers. Alex Munoz, who was a third-grader at Linda Vista Elementary School, was declared dead at the scene of the crash. The boy was asleep in the front seat when his father crashed into the back of a pickup truck parked on...