Suspected Illegal Immigrant Drunk Driver Allegedly Crashes Into Ambulance Carrying Toddler
A pre-schooler tragically lost his life after an alleged drunk driver plowed into the side of the ambulance in which he was riding. The suspect is allegedly an illegal alien from El Salvador.
The boy’s mom, Lyndsay Ann Oakes, as well as the ambulance attendants, suffered minor injuries when the ambulance flipped over on its side owing to the impact from the suspect’s Honda Accord. The toddler was being transported by ambulance from West Virginia for unspecified health reasons when the crash recently occurred at about 1 a.m. in the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. First responders there rushed the victims to nearby Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center were the young child later tragically passed away. This was the same hospital where the boy was going to be treated after his three-hour trip from West Virginia.
The Honda driver and his passenger allegedly tried to flee the scene of the accident. A witness reportedly subdued one of them, and police arriving on the scene apprehended the second man shortly thereafter.
The driver of the Honda, identified by multiple media outlets as Jose Martin Duran Romero, 27, allegedly registered a blood alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit on a breathalyzer about two hours after the crash. According to a witness, he had “bloodshot, glassy eyes, slurred speech, and looked grossly impaired,” Fox8 reported. In most states, the legal limit is 0.08.
Romero faces charges including driving without a license, DWI, and failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash. His bail was originally set at $50,000 but that was revoked subject to a detainer from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who will take the suspect into custody for potential deportation if or when he is released by North Carolina law enforcement authorities.
“ICE said…that the suspect is a citizen of El Salvador. A detainer is issued when a suspect lacks legal immigration status or otherwise fits criteria for removal,” AP explained.
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The Daily Mail claims that the suspect was allegedly so intoxicated that he was unable to sign his name to court documents or process the fact that he had been involved in a serious accident.
Authorities have not yet announced whether they will file additional charges given the toddler’s death. In the meantime, Romero is due back in Forsyth District Court on April 17 and is currently held in Forsyth County Jail. Cops charged his passenger with failing to render aid, and he subsequently bonded out with a $1,000 bail payment.
The toddler’s grandfather described the family as devastated over what happened.
As the car crash that took the life of a 3-year-old boy and its aftermath constitutes a developing story, please check back for updates.
