Thread: Suspected illegal immigrant pleads guilty to fatal crash

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/12 ... _13_06.txt

Suspected illegal immigrant pleads guilty to fatal Ramona crash

By: TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer

NORTH COUNTY ---- A suspected illegal immigrant with a prior drunken-driving conviction who authorities say returned to the United States after being deported to Mexico earlier this year pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and drunken-driving charges in connection with a fatal crash in Ramona, a prosecutor said.

Rafael Ramirez Perez, 22, faces up to 21 years to life in state prison when Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson sentences him Jan. 17, Deputy District Attorney Kristian Trocha said.

Perez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in great bodily injury in connection with the Oct. 10 crash that killed Amy Kortlang, 22, of Ramona, Trocha said.

Perez had been driving his company's work truck when the fatal accident happened on a dark stretch of Highway 67, south of Mussey Grade Road, California Highway Patrol officers said.

The company pickup veered into the opposite lane and sideswiped a Dodge Caliber before slamming head-on into Amy Kortlang's red Honda Civic. The Honda overturned, and she died at the scene.

About three hours after the fatal crash, Perez was found walking alongside Highway 67 about two miles north of the scene.

Perez has perviously served time for a drunken-driving conviction. After serving his sentence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials deported Perez to Mexico. The deportation was in March, about seven months before the fatal crash in Ramona.

Amy Kortlang's mother, Melanie, said by phone Wednesday night that she is relieved by the guilty plea, happy to be spared the trial, and looking forward to speaking in court during Perez's sentencing.

"There is a great relief, but at the same time, there is no winner," Melanie Kortlang said. "Everybody is still a loser. My daughter won't be brought back. I am very drained."

Her last communication with her daughter had come just 18 minutes before the crash, when the two finished some fun text messaging for the night. It was part of their daily communication.

In November, less than a month after the crash, the grieving mother was in Escondido to take part in an anti-illegal immigration rally. She held a picture of her daughter as she stood at the event.

Melanie Kortlang said she is not an activist, but that the crash has led her to "speak out against illegals being in this country."

"An illegal alien murdered my daughter," she said. "Absolutely, it has brought the issue to my home."

-- Staff writer Scott Marshall contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Teri Figueroa at (760) 631-6624 or tfigueroa@nctimes.com.

Moving reports about Amy Kortlang to the new section for Americans killed by illegals.

Move this article to the new Americans Killed by Illegals section.