Thread: Popular Gibson employee killed in cycle accident

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index ... s_id=51331

Popular Gibson employee killed in cycle accident
By Jared Allen, jallen@nashvillecitypaper.com
August 03, 2006

Tragic details about a Tuesday night accident that left a motorcyclist dead emerged Wednesday, as the cyclist was identified as a well-known Nashville musician, and the man charged with vehicular homicide, drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident is believed by authorities to be an illegal immigrant.

Metro Police confirmed Wednesday that Charles A. “Charlie” Derrington, was killed when his 2005 Yamaha was struck head-on by a Ford Explorer being driven on the wrong side of the median on Briley Parkway near Robertson Avenue.

Derrington, 51, of Vine Ridge Drive, was the general manager of Gibson’s Original Acoustic Instruments Division and a long-time employee of the Nashville-based company.

“Gibson Guitar lost a true and passionate friend this week,” Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said in a written statement. “Charlie [was] an extraordinary bluegrass musician, loving husband, father and jovial friend to all who met him and will be forever missed by many who knew him. He was devoted to his family and his work and spent many years leading our Original Acoustic Instrument division in which he was most passionate about. His amazing presence, simply, cannot be replaced.”

Derrington often played at the Station Inn – where his wife is a bartender – along with his band “Traylor Parker.”

His most notable accomplishment, though, came in the mid-1980s when, as a young Gibson technician, he took on the four-month task of successfully repairing Bill Monroe’s smashed F-5 mandolin.

A number of Gibson employees contacted Wednesday echoed the heartfelt sentiments expressed in Juszkiewicz’s statement.

Also on Wednesday, Metro Police released additional information about Julio Villasana, a suspected illegal immigrant and the driver they believe struck and killed Derrington.

Police said Villasana, 33, of Louisville, was intoxicated when, at 8:45 p.m., he drove his Ford Explorer north on the southbound lanes of Briley Parkway before hitting Derrington’s motorcycle.

After the crash, Villasana jumped out of his car and tried to flee the scene, escaping civilian attempts to detain him, police said.

He was caught a short time later by West Precinct officers and given a field sobriety test, which police determined he failed.

Police charged Villasana with vehicular homicide by intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

Metro Police on Wednesday learned from U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Villasana has been deported and there is no record of his legal re-entry.

Metro police said Villasana has no prior arrest record in Nashville. It could not be learned at press time if Villasana has an arrest record in Louisville.

ICE has placed a federal hold on Villasana, who is being held in Metro jail.

“If the preliminary information is correct, this man made a decision to violate our nation’s immigration laws more than once and travels from state to state,” Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas said in a statement. “This case points to why the federal government must step up its efforts. Local and state governments must have meaningful federal assistance in confronting the problem of illegal immigrants, particularly those who chose a criminal lifestyle.”

Villasana has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday, Aug. 7 in Davidson County criminal court.

http://www.tennessean.com

Thursday, 08/03/06

Renowned mandolin maker killed in crash
Derrington dies after hit by suspected drunken driver


Julio Villasana, of Louisville, Ky., was being
held on $10,000 bond and on immigration
hold until authorities can research his status
further, authorities said.

By IAN KRIEGISH
Staff Writer


A motorcyclist killed Tuesday night in a head-on collision with a suspected drunken driver was identified Wednesday as Charlie Derrington, a renowned mandolin maker with Gibson Musical Instruments, Metro police said.

Derrington, 51, of Vine Ridge Drive, was taken to Vanderbilt UniversityMedical Center after the 8:45 p.m. crash, where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told police that Julio Villasana was traveling the wrong way on the southbound side of Briley Parkway near the Robertson Avenue exit when his Ford Explorer collided head-on with the 2005 Yamaha motorcycle Derrington was riding, sending Derrington into the median, police said.

Villasana, 33, then ran away on foot, evading bystanders who tried to stop him, police said. Arriving officers arrested him a short time later. He showed signs of impairment during a field sobriety test, police said, and blood was taken for further analysis.

Villasana, of Louisville, Ky., is apparently in the country illegally after having been deported at some point in the past, police said. He was being held on $10,000 bond and on immigration hold until authorities can research his status further, authorities said.

"This case points to why the federal government must step up its (immigration) efforts," Metro police Chief Ronal Serpas said in a statement Wednesday. "Local and state governments must have meaningful federal assistance in confronting the problem of illegal immigrants, particularly those who chose a criminal lifestyle."

In June, Gustavo Garcia Reyes, who was in the country illegally after repeated arrests for driving under the influence, smashed into a vehicle in Davidson County, killing a Wilson County couple. Reyes is awaiting trial in the case.

Derrington was Gibson's production manager of mandolins and the general manager of the Original Acoustic Instrument division. •

Can we just put a very high fence around Washington? Illegals & politicians on the inside of course.

That would be nice had enuf And put a whole bunch of these lovely just nice people looking for work illegal aliens in there with them.

Many of these crimes are committed by illegal aliens that have been deported over and over. This is ludicrous!!! Another american killed by an illegal alien that should not be in this country. This could be just about eliminated by just enforcing our existing laws.

I say we should have an email system setup to send all of these articles as they appear to our president, senators and congressmen daily so they can truly see what they are doing to our citizens and this country. So they can really see the scope of the numbers of americans assaulted, robbed, murdered by these people just looking for work. Thousands of these illegal aliens are criminals in their own country and keep coming back to the US and committing the same crimes or worse.

I can't remember who on this board came up with the idea of a Wall with ribbons on it for every American who died at the hands of an illegal.

We need to get that Wall up and put instances like this on it. On a regular basis, send an update to the congress with the names/pictures/ribbons. Maybe then, theyll figure out which way is up!!

Originally Posted by CheyenneWoman

I can't remember who on this board came up with the idea of a Wall with ribbons on it for every American who died at the hands of an illegal. We need to get that Wall up and put instances like this on it. On a regular basis, send an update to the congress with the names/pictures/ribbons. Maybe then, theyll figure out which way is up!!

I remember and it was William himself. IMO, it's a great idea that puts the spotlight directly where it belongs -- on our elected officials. I'd also opine that every family, starting with Derrington's, should flie a lawsuit against Homeland Security and extended to the Executive Branch and the Congress, for damages due to reckless disregard, manslaughter or whatever else some slick lawyer can conjure up. Perhaps with enough victims, a class action might be in order.

Then, we need to get other members on board about this. William has his hands full of other things, but we all could help.

Are the Moderators able to set up a section like this? I don't know enough about computers except to be a little dangerous. Absolutely nothing about setting things up. Who do we talk to?

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index ... s_id=53501

Man indicted in death of Gibson employee
By Jared Allen, jallen@nashvillecitypaper.com
December 04, 2006

A grand jury on Thursday indicted the illegal immigrant who police say on Aug. 3 ran his SUV into the motorcycle of renowned Gibson Guitar technician Charlie Derrington, killing the 51-year-old Nashville musician and local icon.
In early August, Metro police arrested Julio Villasana, 33, of Louisville, in conjunction with the accident. He was drunk and driving on the wrong side of the divided Briley Parkway, police said.

The following day Nashville authorities learned from U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Villasana was an illegal immigrant.

Villasana was indicted on two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of leaving the scene of an accident. He remains in jail on an immigration hold.

Our friend Steve at OJJPAC has a project like this already. Maybe he could use a hand.

See:

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=47745

Hello all!

Loserville Labor is right! I post deaths of Americans on the OJJPAC web site.

I created the "Vicitm's of Illegal Immigration Memorial" and do research to find news reports of Americans killed (or allegedly killed) by illegal aliens.

People are encouraged to send me an email of any new deaths. I do verify news reports, so you need to send me a copy of the news article or the correct spelling of the victim and killer.

It takes a lot of time to add a "name" because I have to verify the information, write something up, then post it on the web. But I usually post information within 24 hrs if possible.

I think most people know that I follow up on info I'm given.

WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT THE MEMORIAL (AND LISTS THAT OTHER SITES MAINTAIN) SERVE AS A HISTORICAL RECORD OF ACTUAL DEATHS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE LOST TO HISTORY!

THE GOVERNMENT AND OUR OPPONENTS ARE NOT KEEPING TRACK OF THE DEATHS OF AMERICANS BY THE HANDS OF ILLEGALS.

OJJPAC'S AND OTHER GROUPS ARCHIVES ARE THE ONLY CUMULATIVE RECORD KEEPING OF THESE DEATHS (AND WE PROBABLY NEVER FIND OUT ABOUT MANY).

So if you read about a death in your local paper, or tv station, send me an email at salvi@ojjpac.org. Thanks!