Illegal immigrant accused of killing journalist in New Orleans crash
A man in the country illegally and accused of hitting and killing a New Orleans, Louisiana, journalist Friday was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) during a court hearing Tuesday, according to reports.
Jorge Martinez-Sanchez, 29, was charged with negligent homicide, reckless operation of a vehicle and driving without a license in a crash that happened just after 7:30 a.m. Friday.
The Louisiana State Police said, that morning, troopers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on the Crescent City Connection bridge in downtown New Orleans. When they arrived, they learned 48-year-old Mark Deane of Gretna, Louisiana, had died in the crash.
A preliminary investigation found Deane was driving eastbound on the Crescent City Bridge on a Yamaha motorcycle when he was struck — for reasons still not known — in the rear by a Toyota Camry driven by Martinez-Sanchez.
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Police said the collision caused Dean and the motorcycle to go airborne before the Camry struck the rear of a Nissan Rogue.
According to police, Deane was pronounced dead at the crash site and was wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.
Martinez-Sanchez and the driver of the Rogue, police added, were both wearing seat belts and were not injured in the crash.
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A local NBC station reported that prosecutors asked that Martinez-Sanchez be held without bond, suggesting he was a flight risk.
During the court hearing, it was revealed the suspect was an illegal immigrant who was denied a visitor visa he applied for in 2019.
ICE told Fox News Digital its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Orleans filed an immigration detainer on Martinez-Sanchez with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office after he was arrested by the Louisiana State Police.
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ICE added that Martinez entered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration officer from an unknown location at an unknown time.
During the court appearance Tuesday, the station reported, the suspect told the judge he was reaching for his coffee when the crash happened, and when he looked up, he had struck the back of Deane’s motorcycle.
Court records also said Martinez-Sanchez tried to brake but could not avoid hitting Deane a second time.
ICE took Sanchez-Martinez into custody during the court hearing.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill responded to the news in a post on social media Tuesday.
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"Heartbreaking! The person responsible for this horrific crash, 29-year-old Jorge Martinez-Sanchez, is an illegal alien," Murrill wrote. "Our office is prosecuting the case and has secured detention without bond. Martinez-Sanchez has been arrested for negligent homicide, reckless operation, and driving without a license. I’m praying for the family, friends, and co-workers of Mark Deane."
The ABC station in New Orleans that Dean worked for as a longtime sports producer shared a statement from New Orleans Police Department Superintendent of Police Anne Kirkpatrick.
"The New Orleans Police Department is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Mark Deane, a respected sports producer at WGNO, who passed away this morning in a traffic fatality," Kirkpatrick said. "Mark was not just a colleague to many in our media community, but a friend whose passion and dedication to his work left a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to Mark’s family, friends and the entire WGNO team during this difficult time."
The station also wrote that Dean’s loss is "mourned by the entire WGNO family," adding it comes as a "crushing blow" after losing sportscaster Ed Daniels.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.