Accident News

Man Sentenced For Illegal Transportation Of Aliens In Connection With Fatal Accident

DES MOINES - On January 20, 2006, Carlos Alberto Vasquez-Vasquez, 25, of Mexico, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for the transportation of illegal aliens, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. United States District Court Judge Ronald E. Longstaff also ordered Vasquez-Vasquez to serve a 4-year term of supervised release following his incarceration. Vasquez-Vasquez will be deported following his incarceration.

Vasquez-Vasquez entered a guilty plea to the immigration charge on August 26, 2005. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Longstaff found that the evidence in the case established that Vasquez-Vasquez was the driver of a van containing nine other illegal aliens that was involved in an accident with a semi-tractor trailer on March 4, 2005, on Interstate 80 in Dallas County. All ten of passengers in the van were injured, three of them fatally. Vasquez-Vasquez’s sentence was enhanced because the court found that he recklessly caused a substantial risk of death or bodily injury. The court found that a substantial risk of death or bodily injury was created by the number of passengers in the van, as well as, the manner in which they were being transported (lack of seat belts and use of rear compartment.)

Contact our Topeka Accident Lawyers if you have ever experienced a personal injury and think others are at fault for the accident.

	Did You Know?
	Accidents involving other moving vehicles were most dangerous Collision with another motor vehicle in transport was the most common first harmful event for fatal, injury and property-damage-only crashes. Collisions with fixed objects and noncollisions accounted for only 17 percent of all crashes, but they accounted for 39 percent of fatal crashes.