Thread: Suspect remains missing after fleeing area following crash

Thursday, September 6, 2007

By JAMES P. QUARANTA
Gannett News Service
FRANKLIN

It has been four years since Christina Applegate was severely injured and left in a vegetative state by a drunken driver. And it has been more than three years since Juan Bautista disappeared after failing to show up for a status hearing before being sentenced for the crime.

Applegate's family and law enforcement officials believe Bautista, now 26, is in Mexico but Mexican authorities will not extradite anyone for drunken driving, even if it involves serious injury.

Sue Applegate, Christina's mother-in-law, began a letter-writing campaign Wednesday to pressure the Mexican attorney general to find Bautista's birth certificate.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office prepared an Article IV request and paid $3,000 to translate it into Spanish, Applegate said. Article IV refers to the Mexican penal code that permits Mexican authorities to prosecute Mexican nationals who commit crimes in other countries.

To use Article IV, U.S. law enforcement officials must prove the suspect is a Mexican national. Bautista's birth certificate was not among the Article IV papers filed by the prosecutor in Mexico in 2005.

"Mexican authorities will not arrest Bautista even if they locate him, until the birth certificate is obtained to prove that he is a Mexican national," Applegate said. "It has been two years and 10 months since the papers were filed and no one has done anything to locate the birth certificate."

Before the accident on Sept. 16, 2003, near the Franklinville Wawa, Christina Applegate worked at the convenience store. That's where Sue Applegate appeared Wednesday to kick off her letter-writing campaign.

"My daughter-in-law deserves so much more than she has been dealt," Applegate said.

Copies of the letter are available at the Wawa and are being circulated throughout the community.

Franklin Police Chief Michael DiGiorgio said he believes Bautista is in Mexico.

"If this individual had not been granted bail, we would not be having this conversation," the chief said.

Last year, there were 25 responses to the nationwide "America's Most Wanted" segment about the accident that aired with a picture of Bautista but none of those tips turned into solid leads.

Reach James P. Quaranta at jquaranta@thedailyjournal.com

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View All Comments
Where do I sign? Mind you, my handwriting is awful since my accident with a fleeing Illegal, But Ill do my best to make it legible.

Posted by: vintagedollz on Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:06 am
Hey how bout we put a HUGE electrical fence surrounding the US and kick anyone out who wasnt born in the USA OUT. That would have prevented MANY things that have happened to us. Rolling Eyes Wink

Posted by: starrcjcac on Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:54 pm
When are people going to realize that Mexico is NOT an ally? There are countless examples of Mexican authorities not supporting US officials in going after Mexican nationals who have committed crimes here in the US. Mexican nations arrested for serious crimes in the US should NOT be granted bail - this story is a prime example why.

Posted by: hyper94uznj on Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:38 am
Why would you give bail to an illegal alien ??? Now I know why judges are appointed and not elected

Posted by: gnat74 on Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:37 am

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/p ... 006/NEWS01

Stories like this are just so sad and even sadder still is the fact that they are much more common thanwe ever, ever hear about!!!

You know, my husband was saying the other day.....after hearing yet another illegal alien advocate trying to deny the crime statistics.....it would be great if there could be something put together similar to the Silent March.

Does anyone remember that? The Silent March was brought about to draw attention to the number of people....innocent people....killed each year by gun violence. Families donated one pair of shoes which had belonged to a victim, and they were all displayed at the Capitol. The idea behind it was to remove the buffer of cold, impersonal statistics and deflate the common perception that those numbers represented gang bangers and criminals who had gotten what they were asking for because of their lifestyle. The shoes provided tangible, undeniable evidence that the victims were not just numbers but real people of all ages, professions, and socio-economic backgrounds who had done nothing to bring on their own victimization.

My husband thinks that what is needed is a Silent March representing those who have been victimized by illegal aliens. He said if necessary, the shoes could even be put into sections....those killed by illegals driving drunk, those maimed by illegals driving drunk, seperate sections for children raped and molested by illegals, adults sexually assaulted by illegals......and so on and so forth. His reasoning is that maybe thousands of people can't make it to DC for marches, etc. but millions of shoes belonging to the victims of illegals certainly can.

He said faced with that kind of evidence let the advocates and illegals just go ahead and try to keep up the "good people only here to work" crap, and let the politicians continue to act like there isn't some huge problem with crime committed by illegals.

I think he's got a good point.

Mexico doesn't send drunk drivers back to the US. Rats, if that is so they should keep all their immigrants. It seems that they all drive while drunk and don't care who they hurt.