April 2, 2011
Man charged in traffic fatality has ICE hold

From Staff Reports The Dalton Daily Citizen
Sat Apr 02, 2011, 07:30 AM EDT



The man charged with second degree homicide by vehicle for a March 19 traffic collision that authorities say killed a Chatsworth woman is believed to be in the country illegally, officials said.

Chatsworth Magistrate Court Judge Dwayne Hooper said he set a $3,000 property bond for Alejandro Mejia Velasquez, 40, of 901 Broom Place, Dalton, on Friday. Velasquez was charged by the Murray County Sheriff’s Office with second degree homicide by vehicle, which is a misdemeanor, and failure to yield right of way.

As of late Friday afternoon, Velasquez was still in jail. District Attorney Kermit McManus said Velasquez’ place of birth is listed as Guatemala. McManus said Velasquez apparently had some type of work documents that allowed him to be in the country legally at one time, but the documents were no longer valid.

Hooper said Velasquez has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold on him, meaning authorities must pick him up within 72 hours after he makes bond.

Anna Lee Morrison, 58, of 25 Floodtown Spur, was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga following the wreck but died later that day. Her husband, Roland Morrison, 58, was in stable condition at Erlanger Medical Center on Friday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The Morrisons were riding on a 2003 Honda Gold Wing three-wheeled motorcycle that was traveling west on G.I. Maddox Parkway when three vehicles collided at the intersection of the parkway and Duvall Road, said Andy Fraser with the Chatsworth Police Department. Also involved in the wreck but not seriously injured was William Swink, 50, of Cleveland, Tenn., who was driving a 1985 Chevrolet Blazer.

Fraser said Velasquez was traveling east on the parkway driving a 2002 Honda Odyssey when he failed to yield right of way to the motorcycle.

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