Federal charges are now being pressed against Margarito Quintero, 33, of Plano who was the driver of the fatal crash that killed Nevada Volunteer Firefighter Peter Hacking and his two kids.
As a result of the investigation into the crash, the driver was arrested for criminally negligent homicide earlier in the week. However, after petitioning by Rep. John Ratcliffe and Senator John Cornyn a federal immigration detainer was placed on Quintero.
“I immediately contacted the Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the ICE Director Sara Saldana and requested that ICE exercise their discretion in placing an immediate detainer on Mr. Quintero,” Rep. Ratliff said. “We urge, in the strongest terms possible, that the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement take all available steps to make sure Mr. Quintero is detained and unable to flee the country.”
Quintero has been arrested and was booked into the Collin County Jail on these charges. According to State Trooper Lonnie Haschel, Quintero was arrested April 11. He does not have a Drivers License and is a Mexican citizen according to information provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to ICE, Quintero illegally entered the U.S. in 2006 and was arrested on criminal charges and deported in 2008. Raliff is also pressing the Department of Justice to move forward on pursuing criminal charges against Quintero for illegal reentry to the country.
There is an immigration detainer on file with Homeland Security for Quintero, which is an unassigned felony charge. Criminal Negligent Homicide is a state jail felony.
As many as 7,500 Americans, or about 20 per day, are killed annually by unlicensed drivers, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
According to Haschel, though the investigation is ongoing they are citing fatigue or sleep as two possible contributing factors for the crash.
The accident killed Hacking and children Ellie, 4, Grayson, 22 months, March 31 on Hwy. 78 near Wylie when the van driven by Quintero crossed over the center line and impacted the Hacking’s vehicle.
Though a $500,000 bond had been set for Quintero on the criminally negligent homicide, if he made bond on that charge, there is not a bond on the immigration detainer.
By Wyndi Veigel • News Editor • [email protected]
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