Illegal alien charged in crash that left two children dead in Connecticut

booking photo
Israel Gonzalez. booking photo

Dave Gibson
Immigration Reform Examiner
November 5, 2013

On Sunday, police in Meriden arrested Israel Gonzalez, 29, after he reportedly slammed his SUV into a vehicle stopped at a red light at the intersection of Broad Street and Gale Avenue.

Siblings Tatiana Cruz, 5, and Lorenzo Cruz, 8, were both killed in the crash.

The children's parents, Michael Cruz and Gina Schroder, and their brother, 12-year-old Alejandro Schroder, were seriously injured as well. The boy is still in intensive care.

The family was on their way home after an early morning shopping trip to Walmart in nearby Wallingford, when they were hit.

Following the wreck, Gonzalez fled the scene on foot, and was captured a short time later at his residence, according to police.
Meriden Police Sgt. Darrin McKay said in a statement:
At this time it is believed that both alcohol and speed were factors in the accident. However, the investigation is ongoing.
Gonzalez has been charged with driving without a license, felony evading and reckless driving.

More serious charges are expected to be filed later this week.
The children's uncle, David Valentin, told WFSB:
My little niece, the 5-year-old, was singing a song to her mother. The next you know she felt the impact.
I wake up and I go to bed crying, man. Because of this situation, those are my little angels... Only 5 and 8, they never experienced life.
During the course of their investigation, police discovered that Gonzalez is in the country illegally from Mexico. Several identification cards with different aliases were found on the illegal alien when he was taken into custody.

Gonzalez is currently being held at the New Haven Correctional Center on $1 million bond.

http://www.examiner.com/article/ille...ad-connecticut