Photo: Carlos Sanchez-Ramos, immigrant drove drunk and killed Paul J. Krouse
Adding fuel to the immigration fire last week, a Virginia man was killed when his car was forced into oncoming traffic by an intoxicated immigrant from Honduras.
Paul J. Krouse, 54, was killed in a car crash caused by 33-year-old immigrant Carlos Sanchez-Ramos, who was driving while drunk. Sanchez-Ramos has been charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter, driving while intoxicated, and other counts following the March 14 incident.
Immigration officials have confirmed that Sanchez-Ramos was in the country illegally, and had in fact been deported to Honduras in 2004. According to Fairfax County records, he was also arrested for driving under the influence in 2007. Fairfax County did not begin fingerprinting all offenders as part of Secure Communities until 2009, so authorities were unaware of his immigration status.
“Now, anyone who is fingerprinted, regardless of race or ethnicity is run through the ICE database,” said Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sonny Cachuella.
Secure Communities allows participating counties to check the immigration status of offenders, but it does not allow Fairfax County Sheriff’s deputies to enforce immigration law. However, under the 287(g) federal program, that would change.
Former Herndon town councilman Charlie Waddell, who voted to allow the Herndon police to enforce immigration laws under 287(g) said, “Secure Communities only works once someone has been caught for some other crime and brought to the county jail.”
