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  1. #1
    Senior Member MyAmerica's Avatar
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    TRIAL-MN-Witnesses Testify: Person Ran From Bus Crash Scene

    Aug 4, 2008 7:09 pm US/Central

    Witnesses Testify: Person Ran From Bus Crash Scene
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    Olga Franco's lawyer said Franco's boyfriend, identified as Francisco Sangabriel-Mendoza, was the driver at the minivan when it crashed into the back of the school bus.
    Star Tribune


    Attorneys for Guatemalan immigrant Olga Marina Franco Del Cid of Minneota are expected to argue in Kandiyohi County District Court that she wasn't driving the minivan involved in the crash. (File)
    CBS

    Liz Collin

    WILLMAR, Minn. (WCCO) ― Three witnesses testifying in the trial of the woman charged in the fatal bus crash near Cottonwood say they saw another person running from the scene.

    James Blodgett, Fabian Marcial and the defendant's cousin, Luciana Franco, testified Monday at the trial of Olga Marina Franco Del Cid in Willmar. Olga Franco's defense team is arguing that the Minneota woman's boyfriend, Francisco Sangabriel-Mendoza, was actually driving the minivan in the Feb. 19 crash.

    Luciana Franco testified that she had never seen Olga Franco drive before.

    Olga Franco is charged with criminal vehicular homicide in the deaths of four schoolchildren. Authorities say the van missed a stop sign, hopped railroad tracks and struck a school bus, causing a chain-reaction crash.

    Franco had to be extricated from the minivan, with the dash and steering wheel pressed tightly against her. Crash investigators say just one of Franco's feet was pinned under the pedals. Her attorneys say it's possible the force of the crash pushed her toward the driver's seat.

    However, some parents of the children who were hurt in the crash feel differently.

    "I think it was her," said parent Mark VanMoer. "I mean, I came down that road. The guy I work with is one of the firefighters, and I brought him to the scene. I didn't pass anyone running and I turned around and went back the same road and didn't see anybody."

    VanMoer's two children, who were on the bus, were in intensive care for days after the crash. His 14-year-old son Matt now has two rods in his back, and daughter Teagan is still in therapy for her leg injury.

    "They're handling it. Matt doesn't remember anything. Teagan's dealing with it in her own way," said VanMoer.

    The details don't matter much to the Javens. Jesse and Hunter Javens were both killed on that ride home from school.

    "Just so justice is done. Whoever, she was driving, if he was driving. I know they said they can prove he was so we'll see," said parent Marty Javens. "No matter what the outcome is it ain't going to help."

    Jurors also heard from Franco's counselor, Salvador Cruz, who testified to a rocky relationship between Franco and her boyfriend Mendoza.

    In court Cruz said, "she had very much been mentally and physically abused by her boyfriend. He told her what clothes to wear and to put on makeup."

    A co-worker of Mendoza, Franco's boyfriend, testified that he picked up Mendoza after the crash after seeing him running down the road.

    The defense will continue its side on Tuesday, and the jury could get the case later this week.

    (Video of news broadcast at site.)

    http://wcco.com/crime/defense.court.olga.2.787056.html
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  2. #2
    Senior Member miguelina's Avatar
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    He could have been a passenger and ran because he didn't want to get deported. Can't prove he was the driver and it's easy to blame someone who is not here to tell his side. I don't buy that he was the driver, because she had to be extricated from the wreck.
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    Senior Member Bulldogger's Avatar
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    Franco had to be extricated from the minivan, with the dash and steering wheel pressed tightly against her. Crash investigators say just one of Franco's feet was pinned under the pedals. Her attorneys say it's possible the force of the crash pushed her toward the driver's seat.
    So let me get this straight, the boyfriend that was apparently under her was able to escape but she was pinned?.... I smell a fish taco!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by miguelina
    He could have been a passenger and ran because he didn't want to get deported. Can't prove he was the driver and it's easy to blame someone who is not here to tell his side. I don't buy that he was the driver, because she had to be extricated from the wreck.
    Yep, agree. Get the Emergency Responders to testify - that should help clear up the details quite a lot.

    And...

    Jurors also heard from Franco's counselor, Salvador Cruz, who testified to a rocky relationship between Franco and her boyfriend Mendoza.

    In court Cruz said, "she had very much been mentally and physically abused by her boyfriend. He told her what clothes to wear and to put on makeup."
    Oh puh-leeeeeze. Trying to make the 'poor little victim' out of the perp.
    Fine - even *if* the above were true, report him to the local police and move on with things. What happened in their relationship and the details of the wreck are.... totally unrelated.
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