Illegal immigrant faces four manslaughter charges

Wow, how 'bout that!? What state was it that wanted to give illegals a driver's license? California, I think........did he even have one? If he did, shame on us (again). I grew up with the understanding that having a driver's license was a privilege, NOT a right! One would think that the word "illegal" means against the law and that privileges would not be provided. Oh, but I forgot who runs and is making a mockery of our country....that's right....Obama (not President, not Commander in Chief, not Mr. Those are titles deserving of respect). Well, gosh darn, let all of us legal taxpayers make sure he's all comfortable, happy, well-fed, clothed, housed, and give him a monthly check so he can drink more and kill more innocent people. Then let us also pay for his rehabilitation for his mental anguish (if he has any) at having recklessly KILLED this family! No wonder the US is called 'The Land of Opportunity'! He just may be laughing all the way to the bank, folks!

Hopefully this is just an exaggeration, but for those in support of allowing illegals to stay in our country that our tax dollars support, let's keep in mind that IF he weren't here illegally, he wouldn't have been on that road and that family would still be alive! You go Arizona!! Prayers to the family and friends of the victims.

Another Illegal kills 4 of ours. Another Illegal kills our citizens. Another Illegal Kills our Citizens. Another Illegal Kills our citizens. Another Illegal kills our citizens. I wonder how many times we have to repeat that before something is done? I am trying very hard to be respectful but its pretty hard to be respectful when this kind of tragedy happens for no good reason. We Americans need to wake up. An entire family wiped out by an ILLEGAL AGAIN. When is enough - enough.

Key word is illegal. Throw up a fence along the border and control it like they were trying to get on an airplane.

Have we forgotten what has caused the accident.

In these kind accidents we should be focused on laws regarding alcohol sales and consumption. I have posted the US statistic on drunk driving just in case you have not kept up with them recently. And if you decide to read this posting, you should note that the statistic are not listed by race color or religion.

Alcohol Impaired Driving Statistics

Total Fatalities / Fatality Rates

250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years.

Presently 25,000 people are killed each year in alcohol related accidents.

500 people are killed each week in alcohol related accidents.

71 people are killed each day in alcohol related accidents.

One American life is lost every 20 minutes in alcohol related auto crashes.

It is estimated that one out of every two Americans will be involved in an alcohol related accident in his or her lifetime.

In 1994, New Hampshire had 119 total highway fatalities, 42 were alcohol related (or 35.3% of the total). New Hampshire leads the nation with one of the lowest percentages of alcohol related fatalities.

Cause of Death

Alcohol related crashes are the leading cause of death for young Americans, between the ages of 16 and 24 years old.

For all Americans between 5 and 35 years of age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death. Over 50% of these accidents are caused by alcohol impaired drivers.

Recent Alcohol-Involvement

Over 50% of all fatal highway crashes involving two or more cars are alcohol related.

Over 65% of all fatal single car crashes are alcohol related.

Over 36% percent of all adult pedestrian accidents are alcohol related.

80% of all fatal alcohol related auto crashes occur between 8 pm and 8 am.

36% of all adult pedestrian accidents involve an intoxicated pedestrian.

Injury Crashes / Collisions

Every year, 708,000 persons are injured in alcohol related crashes; 74, 000 of those people suffer serious injuries.

About 2,000 people are hurt each day in alcohol related accidents.

Two million alcohol impaired driving collisions occur each year.

Arrest / Characteristics of Alcohol Impaired Drivers

Of every 200 to 2,000 alcohol impaired drivers on the road, only one is arrested. Therefore, the probability of getting caught is slim. Of those who are caught, very few receive a serious penalty.

The average alcohol impaired driver arrested on the highway has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .20%, double the level for presumed intoxication in most states; that is 14 drinks of 86% proof liquor (or 14 beers) in 4 hours for a 180 lb. man.

Between 7 pm and 3 am on weekends, 10% of all drivers are legally impaired, in some parts of the country.Most Americans drink alcohol. Over 80% admit to driving after drinking.

Relatively few problem drinkers, about 7% of the driving population, account for over 66% of all alcohol related fatal accidents.

When drinkers are at the presumed level of intoxication, the risk of causing an accident is six times greater than for non-drinking drivers.

Youth

Although persons between 16 and 24 years old comprise only 20% of the total licensed population, and 20% of the total vehicle miles traveled in this country by all licensed drivers, they cause 42 percent of all fatal atcohol related crashes.

Economic / Societal Cost

According to a recent Allstate Insurance Company study, alcohol impaired drivers are estimated to cost American taxpayers $21 - $24 billion dollars per year.

National Geographic recently stated that alcohol abuse costs American society $136 billion and 65,000 lives annually.

Miscellaneous

Admittedly, the United States has one of the safest highway systems in the world, due in part to design characteristics, guard rails, highway markings and signs. We have relatively few fatalities per 100-million miles driven. But the portion of our accidents involving alcohol is among the highest in the world.

An accident by an alcohol impaired driver is the most frequently committed violent crime in the United States today. Other alcohol-related statistics show the involvement of alcohol in many non-driving aspects: 40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related 54% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related 60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related 80% of all domestic disputes are alcohol-related

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These statistics were copied from Community Alcohol Information Program, Inc.

From statistics complied by the U. S. Dept. of Transportation and the N. H. Department of Safety.

legal Booze

illegal Medical Marijuana

body count high enough

go figure

I don't think anyone is saying alcohol wasn't an issue here. But I think we have enough homewgrown drunks without illegally importing them.

Amazing isn't it? Kill someone, do 15 years, go back to your own country and continue on with your life. SICKENING. Being illegal is something I don't like, seems we need to do more to control that situation, like not make it so easy for illegals to STAY here. Give them a license, free medical care, food stamps etc. etc. etc., why wouldn't they want to stay ehre, they're looking for a better life some say. Aren't we all? I know many people, including myself, who could use some free medical care and a little help at times.

This man has killed people and his life will only get better. Three meals a day and a bed to sleep in at night. Cable television, movies occasionally and with family sending him money, he'll get a few things from the store there at the prison. He'll get out, MAYBE get sent back to where ever he came from and that will be the end of it for him. The family he killed, their family will suffer for the rest of their lives for this.

His being illegal isn't the problem with THAT part of it, the fact that ANYONE who kills someone while drunk gets that same sentence. I say, you kill someone under bad circumstances such as these, you go to jail and NEVER get out. I don't care WHO you are.

mthome8742

Don't believe anyone commenting on this article mentioned anything about race, color, or religion???? Not the issue. Drinking and driving is illegal (and should be a severely punishable offense)..........but, so is being in the US without proper documentation! Why is it that being in the this country ILLEGALLY is no longer ILLEGAL??? Just because it's commonplace in today's society doesn't make it ok. I'd be willing to bet that taxpaying citizens do not want to support this guy while he's in our jail system awaiting punishment, deportation, or whatever he gets any more than they wanted to support him while he was free to do as he pleased on their dime, as well. I know I don't!

..........and would someone please help me understand why he is entitled to a public defender??? He is NOT a US citizen and therefore, should NOT be entitled to ANY rights except to be punished and deported ASAP. With all the money he's saved by not paying taxes, let him pay for his own defense! WE get to pay to defend him, too!?

Illegal and immigrant. Kind of an oxymoron. Fry the creep. Save the world. Why waste taxpayer money on trash like this?

As that rear-end kissin general said after the Fort Hood Massacre, "diversity is our strength".Yeah,right.Fry this guy.Impeach obam0. Elect an Idaho governor who will mandate E-Verify,to heck with farmers & cheap labor obssessed business. Cheap labor cheapens lives.This guy have a REAL driver's licence? Insurance? Yeah,right. But wear your seatbelt,Pilgrim.

It is sad to read these harsh words that have come up. I am a Mountain Home native, I loved growing up there and never felt discriminated against. When I would hear people say that it is a racists town I would always defend it, now I don't know what to say.

My prayers are with the families of the ones lost.

Spudgirl has it right. How does the issue of citizenship have anything to do with this tragedy? Would all of you be saying the same thing if it was a white farm boy that was involved here? More forgiving perhaps? Racists perhaps are we?

Citizenship, Mr. Ratliff, has everything to do with this. In a time where budgets are tight and some Americans cannot get legal counsel it is a huge waste to waste resources on someone who snuck in the back door and feeds off those of us who pay taxes.

Who pays this chumps hospital bill? We do. If he had no DL, it is likely he had no insurance. Now, we pay for his legal defense and to house him while you work to get him the best possible deal from the inept, EC PA.

Yes, how about the victims? How do you collect something from nothing? There is a good reason why it is called the criminal justice system. How do you expect this country to support all of this? We cannot even provide for ourselves much less dirt bags like this guy. He mad a decision to drink and drive. Now, he is lucky to have a good attorney who will find a loop hole and either get him off or get the charges reduced.

What about the victims and the family they have left behind? What do they get?

I think most illegal immigrants are decent and hardworking people who are here trying to make money and they keep their heads down and their nose to the grindstone to avoid attracting attention. With that said, I also think there is a huge problem with them, just go to the Canyon County jail website any time for more on that.

But to blame the illegals and spout off about them isn't going to do any good. They aren't just going to go home because we don't want them here. The money is so much better than what they can get in their own country. We need to start at the top, and pass some serious laws that make hiring illegal immigrants a crime, and put some big teeth (large fines) in it. Until that happens, we will continue to have huge problems with illegal immigration.

I don't think any of the politicians of either party are ready to rock that boat yet, cuz it has to start from the top. It has become politically correct to bash the illegals, but it isn't politically correct to talk about punishing the people who hire them. Why? I have my own theories, but they aren't politically correct. For starters, follow the money trail. Those making the most money off cheap labor are the ones who can afford to donate large sums of money to the political campaigns, so they are quite happy to have us peons down here bashing the illegals for the problems that they (the employers of said illegals) have caused. That takes the focus off of the real problem, and I don't see it being resolved any time soon. None of the people who run for office are going to kick their cash cow in the teeth.

Careful. I am fairly sure these posts will be presented in Court on a Motion for Change of Venue (by the PD) because with all of these "feelings" how will he EVER be able to get a fair trial? Then, we can pay to have his trial in Ada or Canyon County. Who cares, it is only money right? And if we think anyone in local Government will help with this illegal immigration problem...well, good luck. Many of them profit from it as well. Makes a person want to puke.

Hmmm... Is this something that could have been prevented? Should we, as a society, have allowed this person to still be in the country? This isn't the first time that he's had a run-in with the Idaho Judiciary system. And I'm curious, in 2006 when he provided false information to the officer... was he illegal then? And if so, we failed miserably by not taking the appropriate actions at that time.

11/05/2006

I49-1232 Insurance-fail To Provide Proof Of Insurance

Finding: Guilty

Fines/fees: $116.50

11/05/2006

I18-5413 Provide False Info To Officer Re:offense/identity

Finding: Guilty

Fines/fees: $0.00

Jail: 5 days

11/05/2006

I49-301 Drivers License Or Commercial Drivers License Violation

Finding: Dismissed By Prosecutor

Fines/fees: $0.00

05/21/2008

I49-301(1) Drivers License- Fail To Purchase/ Invalid

Finding: Guilty

Fines/fees: $144.00

05/21/2008

I49-1232 Insurance-fail To Provide Proof Of Insurance

Finding: Guilty

Fines/fees: $116.50

(https://www.idcourts.us)

1) Illegal is illegal. There is a legal process for immigrating into the US. It's a personal choice to get behind the wheel of a vehicle drunk. It's a personal choice to live as a criminal by knowingly violating the law.

2) As with most things, we don't need more laws or stricter laws - enforcing the ones we have should be sufficient.

3) Again, yes, alcohol was a major factor in this crime. However, if the accused was not in the country illegally, that one little thing could have meant the difference between the Herrera family being alive or not. Circumstances impacting his locale, employment, social structure, etc, would all be different.

4) Spot makes a good point -- the system we created is as much to blame for this tragedy as the drunk driver.

ltngblt, thank you for understaning my point!!! WHAT DOES HIS STATUS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HE KILLED PEOPLE!

Spud...his status has EVERYTHING to do with this. If we did not turn a blind eye to this problem and enforced the laws, he WOULD NOT have been here. But since we allow every Tom, Dick and Harry in...he is here. Now we pay to defend him after he kills 4 people because he was drunk. This is all about status. If we enforced laws, he would not have been here. Key word in this "ILLEGAL." I wonder if this was a member or members of your family if you would feel the same way. My guess would be no.

Yes we do have an issue with illegals but we have a big problems with DRUNK DRIVERS and this big illegal word took the focus from that issue. Maybe the family that was lost were illegals too. There names sound Mexican, so should we start celebrating that we got rid of four of them. What are we doing to stop DRUNK DRIVING, this to is a big crisis in this wonderful land of freedom. God forgive us all and I pray for all these hurtful hearts including mine.

DUIs arent carrying enough weight... being in law enforcement, I can tell you this with knowledge of repeat offenders out there. In my opinion, if you kill somone while DUI, you should be charged with 3rd degree murder, not manslaughter. Manslaughter is for accidental death. You knowing driving while impaired, implies you intend to do harm, knowing you are not functioning normal. 3rd degree murder conveys this, this waste of human cells and good oxygen, knowingly got behind the wheel and murdered four people, nothing more nothing less. The fact that he is even more worthless, by being an illegal, only compounds the issue. Knowing that if he were deported as ICE should have done, this could have been avoided. I dont want my hard earned tax money going to the defenseof a non-american, I dont feel, in these hard times, its right. Short of bad thoughts, I dont know what to think of this slime on our DNA. May Karma be swift in judgement,lay waste and be done with it....

It's sad to know you people are more worried about the status of the man who killed this family and assuming the family was illegal because of their latino last name.. I thought we didn't discriminate in the United States. Well I should just say the whole Arizona deal has nothing to do with this. Also We are in Idaho and a family has just been killed thanks to somebody at the gas station who sold this alcohol to an irresponsible drinker.

It's Pretty sad that most of you on here are trash talking about something that has nothing to do with what has happenned. The cause here was drunk driving, not undocumented people. This could have happened to anyone documented or undocumented, open your eyes this was an accident.

daretocare

I can't believe that you can say that we maybe we should celebrate that he got rid of four of them. Just because there last name hints that they may be mexican. I think that jumping to conclusions because of there name is wrong. I would think that if they were illegal as well the article would have stated it. The point is this man killed four innocent people because of his negligence.

This point has been stated several times, but people still gloss over it:

If the immigration laws were enforced, this person would not be here illegally. If he wasn't here, the fact that he was drunk wouldn't matter, and family lives.

Say wow all you want. It was an accident and you are talking about so much stuff that shouldn't matter at the moment. Yes we need justice for this family but what can we do sending him back to Mexico will not solve anything so yeah your tax money should go towards the time he is spending in jail. I'm pretty sure the family was legal so get over yourself and suck it up he should be in jail here in the US. Yeah Yeah.. I said it.

Driving a vehicle drunk is no accident. Being drunk and killing someone is no accident. Being an illegal, in a country against the laws, is illegal---just look what they have done to Americans who stray in other lands. Had he not been ALLOWED to remain in the US, he would not have been on our roads drunk and killed 4 people. Seems fairly simple to me. If it was your family that was wiped out, would you feel the same way? I bet not.

Now, we pay for his defense, what he wears, medical, etc. Why? What a waste of flesh and I am pretty sure it is not the first time he has done this (been behind the wheel drunk). Accident? What a joke.

It's certainly not just here in Idaho. It happens across the country:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/2/illegal-immigrant-killed-nun-rele...

DUI deaths are devestating to families involved. We have enough drunken American undesireables. We do not need to make a serious problem worse by allowing illegal repeat offenders remain in the country.

Finally I agree with you yeah i'm okay with my money paying for his life in prison. I guess you don't want justice I thought that was what Americans do. Make justice.

Always gotta use the tax excuse. I'm pretty sure if undocumented people could they would pay taxes, It's not there fault they are not counted or put in the system. Thats why we are fighting for Immigration Refrom.

Scum bag who sucks the life out of the taxpaying public. Do everyone a favor and give him the same punishment that he gave the family of 4. An eye for an eye works for me. He is a waste. A complete waste.

Oh no, we can use more than the tax excuse. Not their fault they are not counted or in the system. Now, that is a gem. It is THEIR fault they are not counted or in the system---THEY SNEAK in, live here illegally, do illegal things (some not all mind you) and then run back across the border. Are you nuts---NOT THEIR FAULT???? Really? They could always, I do not know, become LEGAL! What an idea.

Now, more than the tax excuse.

Use the healthcare system, run up huge bills, never pay, use a name and SS No. that is not theirs and then flee back to Mexico.

Collect social security that they have never paid into BUT COLLECT IT?!?!?!?!

Get housing at a reduced rate because they are poor/do not make enough...BUT ARE HERE ILLEGALLY?!?!?

Get reduced or sliding fee scale (OR FREE) healthcare when people who are LEGAL get NOTHING?!?!?

Enroll their kids in public schools, that we pay for, when they are ILLEGAL.

Drive cars with no insurance and no DL, have an accident, injure or kill someone and pay NOTHING while they are here ILLEGALLY!!

Have jobs, pay NO TAXES but get food stamps and WIC?!?!? Really?

Yep, poor illegals. I feel really sorry for them. They just want a better life and to do the right thing.

MGMH, I am wondering if you have ever been outside of Idaho? Are you a MH native? Have you seen the pictures of what the illegals have done to AZ while they try to do the right thing and make a better life? Are you really being serious with your comments?

Ooooh CJW, struck a nerve with the immigration expert. Oh well, he/she is just looking for a better life while they are undocumented, collecting welfare, and living the American dream on YOUR dime. Does that not just warm your heart and make you "fuzzy" all over?

What have illegals done to AZ? I don't think they've done anything horrible except for trying to live a better life. I haven't heard of an terriost attacks or any type of damage done by illegals. in AZ. I've heard more about Americans robbing gas stations, stealing hispanics cars ,and living of welfare hahahaha.. They are the ones selling items at the pawn shops. Yeah maybe ICE should give us a visit wait we were born here =) they can't do nothing. I love arguing with you. You make my day.

Well how do you know that? If nothing has made it the news involving any other races yet. We'll see when something big makes it to the Mountain Home News I will be the first one giving my opinion.

Wow alot people don't realize that if this person goes to mexico justice will not be served for this family!! He will be a free man and go on about his life like nothing happened! Yes our tax money will pay for his time in jail but yes our tax money also pays for all those sex offenders who rape and kill little innocent children, legal or not they are all criminals! Mexico rarely gives life sentencing and alot of times the max for killing someone is 25 years or so. On the other hand I hear alot of "illegals on welfare" yeah alot of illegals are on welfare but A LOT OF LEGAL 17 and 18 year olds that are natural born citizens, have 2-3 or even more kids at this age and have never had a job, live on goverment paid apartments, get food stamps, and to top it off get a check or some type of monthly cash support!!! So don't just blame it on illegals if these teenagers are old enough to have sex then there old enough to get a fricken job!! Yeah trust me there is alot of this girls here in Mtn Home and it just irritates me when they judge all illegals the same, illegal immigration is a problem and something needs to be done about it. By the way I am proud to say that I'm mexican, but also very proud to be a citizen of this country, yes I pay taxes and have never been on welfare. We worked our butts off on the fields here in the 1990's and are very proud to contribute to this town and country!!