Thread: San Diego: Man flees after crash that killed his son, 9

On the local news they interviewed a relative of the family, through a translator of course, and they actually blamed US for the tragedy. If only we didn't have such terroristic and inhumane immigration laws this never would have happened, they said. If only we had fair and just immigration laws that didn't treat them like criminals for just wanting a better life for their family, the father would not have had to flee, they claimed. Of course the news reporter never called them on this absurd assertion, she nearly agreed with their idiotic claim.

I wonder if they think it's our fault he was driving drunk and without a license too?

SUV driver charged in crash that killed cop

July 16, 2007
BY MITCH DUDEK Staff Reporter mdudek@suntimes.com

A Cook County judge set bond at $300,000 Sunday for a Chicago man accused of being drunk behind the wheel of an SUV when he killed an off-duty police officer who was on his way to pick up a birthday present for his 4-year-old daughter.

Manuel Puga, 22, had cocaine and marijuana in his system and was legally drunk -- with a blood alcohol content of .105 -- late Friday when he struck and killed Chicago Police officer Wayne Smith Jr. at a Bridgeport intersection, according to Assistant State's Attorney Tracey Senica.
Puga has been charged with reckless homicide.

Smith, an 11-year veteran, had just gotten off his shift and was headed to pick up a present for his daughter Brille when an SUV driven by Puga swerved around a car in the middle of the intersection of Ashland Avenue and 31st Street and struck Smith's motorcycle. Smith was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Stroger Hospital.

On Saturday, a confused Brille could not understand why her dad was not there for her birthday, said Smith's niece Malika Overton. "Fellow police officers came over and brought cake and ice cream and food for Brille's birthday, but she refused to eat the cake. She just sat on the porch all day waiting for her dad to bring her gifts," Overton said.

Smith's wife, Toria Rivers-Smith, was inconsolable Sunday. "She wears a police star that [Smith] gave her around her neck as a token of their love," Overton said.

Puga and a passenger ran from the scene of the accident, but witnesses followed the two and pointed them out to responding officers who made the arrests, according to prosecutors.

Police said they found an empty beer can in Puga's car, as well as a plastic bag containing what appeared to be marijuana in his pocket.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/4696 ... 16.article

Family: Dad Who Left Son To Die Feared Deportation

POSTED: 1:42 pm PDT July 16, 2007
UPDATED: 5:11 pm PDT July 16, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- A family member tells NBC 7/39 that a man in the United States illegally left his son to die because he was afraid of being deported.

Marcos Munoz Sanchez, 33, faces felony charges in connection with the incident. His son, Alex Munoz, 9, died early on Saturday morning. Munoz was a third-grader at Linda Vista Elementary School.

The boy's mother is devastated by his death.

"Why did God take my boy?" Alex's mother said in Spanish, weeping. "He wasn't a bad boy."

Munoz Sanchez has been in the country illegally for 12 years, according to his family. His sister-in-law Erica Herrara said on Saturday that he was driving without a license and was fearful that he would be sent back to Mexico. She also told NBC 7/39 that the family is grieving and that this is no time to question the father's actions.

"What I feel is that he was not thinking that the child would die, and, rather than get caught by police and immigration, he thought it would be easier to just run away, have the mom go get the kid and then come together," Herrera said.

Officers said Munoz Sanchez's pickup truck hit a truck that was parked in the breakdown lane on Interstate 8 near Texas Street in Mission Valley. Authorities said he left the scene, leaving Alex in the car. The child later died.

Officials with the California Highway Patrol said they arrested Munoz Sanchez for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony driving under the influence and felony hit-and-run. They also said that more charges may be pending.

According to investigators, Munoz Sanchez was located later in a vehicle with his brother, who was also arrested. His brother faces charges of misdemeanor driving under the influence and driving without a license.

The child's mother said her son told her they were going to Burger King and that was the last she heard from him. Herrerra said that the boy's mother was beyond comforting.

"That's not going to be possible because, you know, her heart is broken," Herrera said. "It's just very sad."

A spokeswoman for an immigrant-rights groups told NBC 7/39 that Munoz Sanchez's action raises an important issue facing many immigrants in the United States.

"We can not condone this kind of behavior," says Christian Ramirez of American Friends Services Committee. "But there's a whole lot of fear because the lines between local police and federal agencies have become very, very blurred the last few years."

Munoz Sanchez is being held on $300,600 bail. He is due in court on Wednesday.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/13691308/detail.html

MelvinPainter wrote:

Heck don't you know that there is. Haven't you heard of guy name ET?

Oops, my bad.

Originally Posted by jean

"We can not condone this kind of behavior," says Christian Ramirez of American Friends Services Committee. "But there's a whole lot of fear because the lines between local police and federal agencies have become very, very blurred the last few years."

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/13691308/detail.html

Making excuses Blaming the police
"Lines...have become...blurred"!!!!

Shouldn't be any lines. Crime is crime. Illegal is illegal.
This guy is responsible for the death of his son-PERIOD.

It is beyond repulsive to me that this "family" and their activists are trying to lay the blame of this tragedy on the American people and our countries laws!!
If they're so scared of being deported why talk to a news reporter to give the story?Are these folks trying to say if they were here legally this never would have happened?
I am sorry that poor child was harmed.

"What I feel is that he was not thinking that the child would die, and, rather than get caught by police and immigration, he thought it would be easier to just run away, have the mom go get the kid and then come together," Herrera said.

Basically, they were hoping to get free medical care for thier son, they they would get together and continue to break our laws!! It's a sad state of affiars for these people, but those are the consequences when here illegally!!