Illegal alien arrested after crash that injures 3 others
by Art Aisner | The Ann Arbor News
Monday February 25, 2008, 8:18 AM

Police say suspect has seven prior driving convictions, including two for drunken driving, even though he is apparently in the United States illegally.

By ART AISNER
The Ann Arbor News

Pittsfield Township police said an illegal alien with a long history of driving violations, including two prior drunken driving offenses, was arrested after fleeing the scene of a car crash that sent three people to a local hospital over the weekend.

The suspect, a 25-year-old Mexican national, has a driving record that dates back to 2002 in Michigan, even though he is apparently in the United States illegally, police said.

Officers responded to the Michigan Avenue and Carpenter Road intersection just before 10 p.m. Saturday and found three injured people in a heavily-damaged mini-van, said Sgt. John Belknap.

The driver, a pregnant 27-year-old Pittsfield woman, said she was westbound on Michigan and proceeded through the intersection with a green light when pick-up truck on Carpenter Road suddenly turned and struck the van head-on, reports said.
When she and another passenger approached the truck to talk to the driver, the pickup sped off despite heavy damage, reports said.

All three occupants of the van, including a 7-year-old boy, were transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries, Belknap said.

A few minutes later a nearby motorist passed a speeding pick-up and noticed it was trailing smoke, fluids and debris. He then saw the mini-van about a mile down the road and turned around, reports said. He followed the debris and fluid trail to the Ridgewood Apartments and called police.

Officers found the vehicle, which was still smoking, parked near the rear the complex and arrested the 25-year-old driver as he was trying to crawl under the car parked in the next spot, reports said.

The man was bleeding from his hands and mouth, was highly intoxicated, and had defecated on himself, reports said.

The suspect did not speak English and could not balance on his own. His cousin, a resident of the apartment complex told officers the man is an illegal alien and was drinking that night. Due to his injuries, officers could not issue a breathalyzer test, reports said.
The results of blood tests taken when the man was treated at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital were not available this morning.

Officers learned the man's driver's license had been expired, suspended, denied and revoked for seven violations dating back to 2002, reports said. Two of the violations resulted in drunken driving charges.

The man faces arraignment today at the Washtenaw County Jail for multiple driving violations and criminal charges including leaving the scene of an injury crash, Belknap said. Immigration officials were also notified of the arrest.

Art Aisner can be reached at aaisner@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6823.

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