Thread: Man who caused fatal crash captured

http://www.cherokeetribune.com/articles ... 202964.txt

Thursday, December 1, 2005


Man who caused fatal crash captured

By Ashley Fuller
Cherokee Tribune Staff Writer

A southwest Cherokee County couple's long wait for the capture of the man who caused the car accident that killed their teenage son has ended.

Gonzalo Harrell-Gonzalez, 37, is in the custody of the Birmingham Police Department and the extradition process to bring him from Alabama back to Georgia is under way, according to Lt. Henry Irby of the Birmingham Police Department.

On June 16, 2000, a car driven by Harrell-Gonzalez struck a Pontiac carrying Billy and Kathy Inman and their 16-year-old son, Dustin, at a red light in Gilmer County.

Dustin was killed in the accident. Both Billy and Kathy were knocked unconscious as a result of the impact. Kathy was left wheelchair-bound.

Harrell-Gonzalez, who allegedly admitted to police he fell asleep behind the wheel, was taken to an Ellijay hospital then transferred to a hospital in Dalton. He disappeared after being mistakenly released from the hospital and police thought he had fled to Mexico or his father's home in Birmingham.

The Inmans were thrilled with the news that he is in police custody.

"We were excited. It was past time that something had happened," Mrs. Inman said Wednesday.

According to Lt. Mike Gobble of the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office, Harrell-Gonzalez was first arrested in September in Birmingham. He was later released after he showed a magistrate judge evidence alleging he was not Harrell-Gonzalez, but his brother. Gobble said he obtained X-rays from the North Georgia Medical Center where Harrell-Gonzalez was treated and asked the Birmingham police to arrest the same man again.

He was arrested again in October and on Tuesday the medical records proved he was Harrell-Gonzalez.

Gobble said Harrell-Gonzalez would be returned to Gilmer County in 30 to 45 days. He already has been indicted for vehicular homicide, two counts of serious injury by vehicle and reckless driving.

"This will be a good Christmas for the Inmans," Gobble said.

The past five years of the Inmans' life have been dedicated solely to finding Harrell-Gonzalez. Inman posted a picture of him on his truck in case someone recognized him and had any information. He lobbied for media coverage of the case, which was featured on programs including "America's Most Wanted."

Earlier this year, the Inmans joined the board of the newly formed Dustin Inman Society, which was created to educate the public about the consequences of illegal immigration. Harrell-Gonzalez is an illegal immigrant.

"I just wish something could be done so that this will not happen to another family," Inman said.

Inman said he is happy that Harrell-Gonzalez will be put through the justice system.

"I just hope that it will help me turn the page," he said.

The past five years of the Inmans' life have been dedicated solely to finding Harrell-Gonzalez. Inman posted a picture of him on his truck in case someone recognized him and had any information. He lobbied for media coverage of the case, which was featured on programs including "America's Most Wanted."

The responsibility of finding this illegal alien should not have fallen on the family. Too bad the head of DHS won't put in as many hours protecting it's citizens as it does with coming up with excuses NOT to protect them.

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