Arrested man’s immigration status prompts questions about his license

by Marcus E. Howard
August 21, 2011 12:56 AM

MARIETTA — A Marietta man is accused of driving drunk with two young children who weren’t wearing seatbelts and with an expired license. Furthermore, he is suspected of being in the country illegally.

The incident raises the question of how did he ever get a valid driver’s license if he’s here illegally?

Silvestre Sierro Garcia, 39, was charged on Aug. 14 by Cobb police with DUI, two counts of DUI child endangerment, two counts of seatbelt violation, improper stopping on roadway, and driving with an expired license, all misdemeanors.

Currently, Garcia is being held on a $5,000 bond in the Cobb County jail. But a hold on his release has been placed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to police, Garcia was driving a 1993 Buick Regal at around 12:06 a.m. on Franklin Road in Marietta, when he attempted to avoid a traffic checkpoint near Franklin Court. As officers questioned why he tried to back the car up, they said they smelled a “strong odorâ€