$100 Bond for Man Charged With Injuring MPD Officer in Hit and Run
Reported by: Joyce Peterson
Email: jpeterson@myeyewitnessnews.com
Last Update: 11/10 2:51 pm

21 year-old Avenamar Perez is charged in a hit and run accident that put MPD Lt. Greg Quinn in the hospital 21 year-old Avenamar Perez is charged in a hit and run accident that put MPD Lt. Greg Quinn in the hospital earlier this week.
Perez is accused of hitting Lt. Quinn's motorcycle from behind then leaving the scene. Witnesses followed Perez and called in his location to investigators.

But hours after his arrest, Perez bonded out of jail for only $100. A spokesperson for the Shelby County District Attorney's Office says the bond is standard for the crimes Perez is accused of committing.

He's charged with having an unregistered vehicle, disregarding a red light, no driver's license and leaving the scene of an accident with injury. All of those are misdemeanor crimes which carry a low bond, according to the D.A.'s communications director.

"Based on the Memphis Police investigation," says Jennifer Donnals, "these are the charges filed against him. And we don't expect any additional charges against Perez."

After he failed to show for a Friday morning court appearance, Perez was arrested and brought back to the Criminal Justice Center.

And now his residency status is being questioned. Steve Shular with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office says Perez told jail employees he is a Mexican citizen.

Shular says the sheriff's office called officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to investigate. Agents are expected to interview Perez at the jail. His new bond is $1500.

A spokesperson for the federal immigration agency says if Perez is an illegal immigrant, he'll have to face the hit and run charges in Shelby County court and if found guilty, he'll have to receive his punishment before he is deported back to Mexico.

But if he raises the money for his bond before then, he can get out of jail, again.

"Even people who are here illegally," says Donnals, "have the right to a bond if they're charged with a crime."

Lt. Greg Quinn, the MPD officer who was injured in the hit and run, is out of the hospital and back at home.

When asked for his thoughts about the low bond for the man accused of slamming into him, Lt. Quinn said he's going to let the legal system handle this case so he can focus on his recovery.
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