A six-year-old girl died from injuries she suffered in a single-car crash in Alabama that an illegal immigrant driving drunk at three times the legal limit caused.
On Monday, Zelvin Gomez, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras, was allegedly driving while intoxicated with the six-year-old girl, who has not been identified, according to WKRG-TV.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) noted that the child was not seated in a child safety seat or buckled in with the regular adult constraints, WALA-TV reported.
According to investigators, Gomez started the drive at 3:00 a.m. with his girlfriend, the child, and a dog in his car. However, after an argument, the girlfriend and the dog exited the vehicle. Gomez reportedly then drove on with the child in his car until he reached a segment of Baldwin County 28, where he was allegedly driving up to 68 mph in a 45-mph zone.
He allegedly overturned the car, and the unrestrained child was thrown clear of the vehicle, but, as the car rolled, it ended up on top of her, police said.
“He lost control of the vehicle, struck a fence and there was a roll-over event. Prior to that roll-over event, the child was ejected, and the vehicle landed on the child,” said Chef Assistant District Attorney Teresa Heinz.
“He admitted to being at a party where alcohol was consumed. He admitted to being quote-unquote, ‘buzzed’ and blacking out, not remembering the actual events of the actual crash itself,” Heinz added.
The girl was rushed to a hospital, where she later died of her injuries.
Police said that Gomez’s blood alcohol content was 0.22, three times the legal limit in Alabama.
On Wednesday, Baldwin County District Judge Bill Scully set Gomez’s bond at $200,000, and he was charged with driving under the influence as well as first-degree assault. The charges were raised to manslaughter when the child died.
If the suspect’s bond is posted, he will be required to wear an ankle monitor and an alcohol monitor.
According to WALA, Gomez is in the country illegally after having applied for asylum but getting denied. Despite having his application denied, Gomez stayed in the country.
The incident is just one of hundreds occurring around the country.
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