ICE Agents Arrest Suspect In Sutter County Triple Fatal Crash
SUTTER COUNTY (CBS13) — The DUI suspect in a triple fatal crash from Saturday night has been arrested by ICE agents in San Francisco.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Ismael Huazo-Jardinez, the suspect in a DUI crash that killed three people and injured an 11-year-old girl, is an illegally-present Mexican national.
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ICE said Border Patrol had apprehended Huazo-Jardinez in February 2011 in Arizona and granted him voluntary return to Mexico. Officials said he illegally re-entered at some point thereafter.
Police said 33-year-old Huazo-Jardinez was arrested Saturday after reportedly crashing into a family's home while they were sleeping in Sutter County's Knights Landing. The crash killed Jose and Anna Pacheco and their 10-year-old son Angel on impact, but their 11-year-old Mariana will survive.
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"She lost everything in a second, everything," said Julissa Pacheco, the victims' niece.
Police say Huazo-Jardinez tried to run after slamming into the trailer, but was caught by neighbors.
Investigators believe the suspect failed to make a turn Highway 113 as the road curved and overcorrected twice, flying into a single home. He spent the night in jail, then bailed out after a request by CHP to hold him was denied.
"It's absolutely tragic," said Sutter County Deputy District Attorney Cameron King.
He says the judge was following the law pertaining to vehicular manslaughter.
"Three victims, three fatalities; $300,000 would be a standard bail," King said.
"$300,000 is not enough for three lives," said Rafaela Pacheco, the victim's niece. Their family fears Jardinez will flee to Mexico and not face the consequences of driving drunk and taking away their family.
"I hope he rots in prison because he does not deserve to be out," she said.
King said the judge likely was not able to hold the suspect because it's not a death penalty case and he did not present a serious enough threat to the public.
"He will never understand the pain that we are going through because he is a coward and he knew what he was doing," she said.
He will be held in ICE custody pending the disposition of his immigration proceedings, officials said.
