Illegal immigrant charged in accident
Gannett New Jersey • June 30, 2009

Read Comments(5)

FRANKLIN — A Vineland resident faces criminal charges and deportation after fleeing from the scene of a two-vehicle collision Sunday night at Main and Lake roads, according to township police.


Police said Monday that Nasario Torres-Pedroza has been charged with assault by auto and causing bodily injury, in addition to receiving summonses for driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and driving without a license.

The alcohol content of his blood was .16 percent, twice the legal limit, police said.

Torres-Pedroza told police he is in the United States illegally and U.S. immigration officials are investigating, police said. The accident happened at 7:31 p.m. A caller notified police, saying that one vehicle was trying to flee the scene.

The vehicle Torres-Pedroza was driving broke down not far from the scene, and township and Newfield Borough officers arrested him and his passenger, who was not identified.

Police said Torres-Pedroza was eastbound on Lake Road when he allegedly failed to yield to a vehicle headed north on Main Road.

The other vehicle, driven by Joseph Santoro of Clementon, spun from the accident's impact. His vehicle hit a utility pole and rolled over once, coming to rest on its tires, police said.

Santoro, who wore a seatbelt, was trapped. The Forest Grove Fire Department extracted him, and the township ambulance took him to South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical Center in Vineland. He suffered minor injuries in the accident.

Bail for Torres-Pedroza was set at $2,500 cash. He is being held in the Gloucester County Jail, Woodbury.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/articl ... 1006/rss01