Thread: TX: Police say immigrant hit woman crossing street

Police say immigrant hit woman crossing street
By: Jamie Nash, Courier staff10/19/2007
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An illegal immigrant is in jail without bond after he allegedly hit a Conroe woman crossing a downtown street Saturday night and raced off without stopping.


The woman, 19-year-old Kinsey Burns, has been released from Conroe Regional Medical Center. According to officials, 34-year-old Fernando Saucedo, of Pasadena, never slowed down after he hit Burns and was then pursued and detained by a witness to the hit-and-run accident.
Conroe Police Sgt. Bob Berry said the incident occurred around 9:15 p.m. as Burns was legally crossing in the 300 block of West Phillips at North San Jacinto, near the site of the Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival. Saucedo did not stop, Berry said, but after he was chased and detained by a civilian the responding officer reported Saucedo had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol.
Saucedo was charged with felony accident causes injury/death and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, and remained in the Montgomery County jail without bond Thursday because of a hold placed on him by the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jeffrey Simoneau, of Willis, was riding his motorcycle with his wife when they heard "a sudden screech and then screaming," Simoneau said. They saw a red Camaro speeding away as the victim fell to the street.
"We saw a young lady going flying into the air then hit the pavement hard," Simoneau said. "My wife said, 'My God - he just hit that girl.'"
The police report stated Saucedo's windshield was damaged from the impact, Berry said.
Burns was conscious and complaining of pain and discomfort to her limbs and head, Berry said the report stated, but had no life threatening injuries. She was transported to Conroe Regional Medical Center by ground ambulance in stable condition, where hospital officials said she was treated and released.
Simoneau said one of the pedestrian witnesses ran behind the car, but Saucedo accelerated so quickly that he "fish tailed."
Simoneau was already on his bike, so, he said, he decided to pursue the car.
"My only intention was to get the license plate number, then he was in traffic and I pulled up beside him," he said. "I told him to pull over and that he was not going to get away because I had his license plate number."
Simoneau said he made the demand three to four times and the driver kept looking at him as though he was confused, then turned into the parking area of the Kettle Restaurant, near Interstate 45 on West Davis Street.
"I got off the motorcycle and I grabbed his keys and I threw them," he said. "He started looking for them and I told him he wasn't going to get them."
Saucedo's passenger got out of the vehicle but stayed beside it, Simoneau said. Meanwhile, Michelle Simoneau went inside the restaurant to get help, while calling police on her cell phone.
"He (Saucedo) started to run and I grabbed him," he said. "He was pleading with me in Spanish to let him go - this guy didn't know a word of English."
The police arrived and took over, arresting Saucedo and his passenger. Berry said the passenger was charged with public intoxication.
Jamie Nash can be reached at jnash@hcnonline.com

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Jeffrey Simoneau, to you, and your wife Michelle, I say thank you.

As well as to all those that stopped and took the time to render aid to the victim.