Thread: OR: Illegal immigrant to face manslaughter charges in death

Illegal immigrant to face manslaughter charges in death of Zupan's founder, police say

Reported by: Kacey Montoya

August 31, 2011

A 32-year-old illegal immigrant suspected of driving the car that hit John Zupan's motorcycle head-on Monday night will likely face a first-degree manslaughter charge in connection with the deadly crash, said Portland Police Bureau.

Edy Porfirio Reynoso-Ramirez, 32, was arrested Monday night after Portland police found him hiding several hundred yards from the crash scene.

Police said Reynoso-Ramirez was driving a 1998 Honda Civic erratically along Marine Drive when the car crossed the center line and struck a 2009 BMW motorcycle driven by 66-year-old John Zupan, the founder of Zupan’s Markets.

Zupan died Tuesday from injuries sustained in the crash.

Reynoso-Ramirez is being held without bail on a federal immigration hold as a potentially deportable immigrant.

Monday night's arrest is the third for Reynoso-Ramirez in Multnomah County. In November of 2003, Reynoso-Ramirez pleaded guilty to driving while uninsured, facing a fine.

In October of 2006, Reynoso-Ramirez pleaded guilty to furnishing liquor to minors, a misdemeanor dismissed by Judge Steve R. Evans in December of 2006.

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, Reynoso-Ramirez faced a Multnomah County judge for the third time, facing charges of DUII and reckless driving.

Sgt. Pete Simpson, a spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau, said he expects the Multnomah County District Attorney to increase Reynoso-Ramirez's charges to include manslaughter.

Simpson said when Portland police took Reynoso-Ramirez into custody Monday night, they did not ask him about his immigration status.

"Under police policy we don't ask people their immigration status unless there is a drug arrest and that's a federal mandate," said Simpson.


In 1989, officials from the city of Portland and Multnomah County set out to create safer communities through better relations between police and local community members. The Portland Police Bureau’s Manual of Policy and Procedure officially states that they will not be involved in enforcing immigration law.

Simpson said part of the motivation behind the policy is to ensure a trusting relationship between local communities and law enforcement officers.

"The other concern in a lot of communities is that if we are seen as asking those questions it may put fear in those communities and they wont cooperate with law enforcement and won't talk to us about domestic violence and gangs or other issues," Simpson said.

According to ORS 181.850: No law enforcement agency of the State of Oregon or of any political subdivision of the state shall use agency moneys, equipment or personnel for the purpose of detecting or apprehending persons whose only violation of law is that they are persons of foreign citizenship [residing] present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws.

A spokesman from Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said they also do not ask suspects about their legal immigration status. When criminal suspects are booked into the county jail, they are asked for their country of origin, and the information is entered into their records database. It is up to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to determine if an inmate is an illegal immigrant. An ICE officer in Multnomah County found Reynoso-Ramirez in the system on Tuesday.


Virginia Kice, Western Regional Communications Director for ICE, released this statement to KOIN Local 6:

"On Aug. 30, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer conducting a routine review of the Multnomah County Jail’s electronic inmate roster identified Edy Porfirio Reynoso-Ramirez as a potentially deportable alien. After interviewing Mr. Reynoso, the ICE officer lodged an immigration detainer against him, ensuring he will be turned over to ICE for follow-up enforcement action upon his release from local custody. A check of Department of Homeland Security databases indicates Reynoso has no prior immigration arrest history."　

Kice said the ICE hold will not interfere will local prosecution.
Some Oregon lawmakers have been trying to change the state's immigration laws.

Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, sponsored several House Bills in the legislative session that ended on June 20, 2011.

House Bill 2802 introduced pieces of Arizona's immigration law into Oregon, and would have allowed police to ask someone suspected of criminal wrongdoing for their legal status. House Bill 2803 would have required all county jails to check inmate's immigration status.

HB 2802 and HB 2803 are two of 13 immigration reform bills that failed to pass last session; only one immigration reform bill got a hearing.
ICE activated a new system in 2008 as part of the Secure Communities strategy, using biometric information sharing to quickly identify aliens in custody. In Oregon, eight out of 36 counties are currently activated jurisdictions. Since the program's start, 989 illegal immigrants in Oregon have been booked or arrested into ICE custody; 411 removed from the U.S.

www.koinlocal6.com

In 1989, officials from the city of Portland and Multnomah County set out to create safer communities through better relations between police and local community members. The Portland Police Bureau’s Manual of Policy and Procedure officially states that they will not be involved in enforcing immigration law.

Safer for whom? I'll bet your LEGAL citizens would say safer for the invaders, and NOT for the people who pay your salaries!

"Under police policy we don't ask people their immigration status unless there is a drug arrest and that's a federal mandate," said Simpson.

It's gotten to the point that whenever I see the word 'Policy' in articles addressing Illegal Immigration I see a big F-bomb right in my face!

Just living a normal American life to be rundown by an illegal alien.