Man sentenced in immigrant crash deaths
By Pamela Manson



Updated: 07/31/2009 05:32:55 PM MDT


A Mexican national has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for aiding in the transportation of undocumented immigrants in a trip that ended in the deaths of two passengers.

Investigators say Fernanddo Pineda-Roblero was helping transport 10 Guatemalans in a van equipped with only six seats and six seat belts from Los Angeles to Denver, when a crash occurred on March 24, 2008. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the vehicle was going east on Interstate 70 in Salina Canyon in Sevier County when the driver apparently fell asleep and the van veered off the road.

The driver woke up and over-corrected the vehicle, causing it to hit a guardrail and roll, UHP has said. Four occupants were ejected and two male passengers died at the scene.

Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) say Pineda-Roblero had been asked to help make the trip and was to take the wheel in Colorado.

The sentence was imposed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell. Pineda-Roblero is slated to be deported after his term is complete.

pmanson@sltrib.com

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