Thread: Immigration hold placed in LA filmmaker's death

Immigration hold placed on man arrested in LA filmmaker's death
By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ04/05/07 17:34:08

Federal authorities have placed an immigration hold on a 24-year-old Mexican national arrested on suspicion of driving drunk and causing the crash that killed "A Christmas Story" director Bob Clark and his son, officials said Thursday.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement put the hold Wednesday on Hector Velazquez-Nava, an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles, said agency spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

The action means Velazquez-Nava will be turned over to federal immigration officials and placed in deportation proceedings once his local case is completed. He was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol and gross vehicular manslaughter, and was being held on $100,000 bail in a county jail.

If he were to post bail, Velazquez-Nava would be taken into federal custody on the immigration hold, Kice said.

Police allege Velazquez-Nava steered his sport utility vehicle into the wrong lane of Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades early Wednesday, striking Clark's sedan head-on. The filmmaker and his son, Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, died at the scene.

Authorities said Velazquez-Nava was driving without a license. He and his passenger, Lidia Mora, 29, of Azusa, were treated for minor injuries.

Velazquez-Nava had no prior deportations but was convicted in March 2005 of soliciting a prostitute in South Los Angeles, court records show. He received 24 months probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading no contest. At the time, he also was accused of not having a valid license.

It was unclear whether Velazquez-Nava had retained an attorney. There was no phone listing under his name.

Clark had a prolific movie and TV directing career. He specialized in horror movies and thrillers early on, directing such 1970s movies as "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things," "Murder by Decree," "Breaking Point" and "Black Christmas," which was remade last year.

His breakout success came with 1981's sex farce "Porky's," a coming-of-age romp that he followed two years later with "Porky's II: The Next Day."

In 1983, he directed, co-produced and co-wrote "A Christmas Story," an adaptation of Jean Shepherd's childhood memoir of a boy in the 1940s.

The film starred Peter Billingsly as Ralphie Parker, a young boy determined to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

While a modest theatrical success, the movie was a critical darling and eventually joined "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" as one of the Christmas films audiences watch year after year.
Search Archives, or Search News Search Local
News Sports Business Life Entertainment Calendar Blogs Opinion Obits Classifieds
Cars Homes Jobs Shopping
Contact Us Text Only Site Map RSS Subscribe Advertise FresnoBee.com ClovisIndependent.com VidaEnElValle.com SierraStar.com FresnoFamous.com © Copyright 2007 The Fresno Bee Help Your Privacy User Agreement Child Protection
http://www.fresnobee.com/384/v-printerf ... 40111.html

Sadly when I first heard of this accident/death this morning in my heart I knew the other driver would be an illegal alien. Another American life lost needlessly and tragically. At what point are these people going to be removed from our society, our country and the wall built to keep them out?

Velazquez-Nava had no prior deportations but was convicted in March 2005 of soliciting a prostitute in South Los Angeles, court records show. He received 24 months probation and a $1,500 fine after pleading no contest. At the time, he also was accused of not having a valid license.

I only have one question, why if he is an illegal was he not deported the last time and given 24 months probation?? How pathetic is our law enforcement!! 2 more needless deaths.

SoSad, I am so disgusted by all of this, its getting harder each day when I see them walking down the street chattering happily and dragging one baby by the hand, pushing one in a stroller and one in the oven. I am not a violent person but the rage is building.

This is so sad because we suspected that it was an illegal allien.

Time and time again, day after day, illegals are killing average Americans. This time, it's different. This better wake America up!

Dixie

[

quote="WhatMattersMost"]SoSad, I am so disgusted by all of this, its getting harder each day when I see them walking down the street chattering happily and dragging one baby by the hand, pushing one in a stroller and one in the oven. I am not a violent person but the rage is building.

[/quote]

I can certainly understand and you are not alone, almost everyday we read about a death and usually a needless one because the person should not have been here. T
There are many of us feeling devastated by all of this and thats why we have to keep our chin up and fight this with everything we have in us. Something good has to come out of what has happen to all of these people who have died at the hands of illegals.

Thank you for bringing this in. We will get a full dispersal on this by the morning.

W

Will no one in Congress pay attention to such crimes unless and until it happens to one of their own family members?

I wondered too if that driver was illegal; the original story didn't say one way or the other. 2 more lives lost because a criminal who shouldn't have even been in this country was here. Very sad.

Added to Homepage

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... e&sid=2069