An illegal migrant was charged with drunk driving and fleeing the scene of an accident in Nebraska, after running down and killing a person walking alongside the road, police say.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of Edwin Elvir-Palma, 28, on April 16 after tracking him from the scene of a hit-and-run.
Killed was 34-year-old Margarito Nava-Luna who was walking down Manderson Street in Omaha, Nebraska, at about 2:30 AM on Saturday.
Witnesses say a car driven by Elvir-Palma crossed the center line, ran Nava-Luna down, then fled the scene. The victim was said to be a hardworking father and husband. The crime left Nava-Luna’s partner of 13 years struggling to tell her three small children why their father would never again come home.
“I called my mom in Mexico and I asked her ‘How do I speak of this to my children?'” Veronica Reyes told WOWT Channel 6 in Omaha.
Police were also alerted to the likelihood that Elvir-Palma was following a female driver and harassing her and the report helped them track down the driver.
When police caught up with Elvir-Palma they found him to be “very intoxicated” and having”difficulty speaking.”
Elvir-Palma was three times over the legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Officers also discovered the suspect had no driver’s license, no insurance, and was an illegal immigrant who had already been deported to his homeland of Honduras once before.
The suspect is now on an immigration hold and will be charged with the death of Nava-Luna.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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