According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, an illegal immigrant who caused a car accident that injured 4 people, then fled the scene, pleaded not guilty today.
24 year old Alejandro Garcia of Morenci, Michigan pleaded not guilty today in Lima Municipal Court. He's charged with failing to stop after an accident, no operators license, a stop sign violation and no child restraint. According to the Lima Post of the State Patrol, Garcia, who they say is not a legal resident of the U.S., failed to stop at the intersection of Defiance Trail and Elida Road, Sunday afternoon. Garcia was traveling north on Defiance Trail at a high rate of speed when the car struck the right side of a truck.
The truck was driven by 51 year old Charles Gallagher of Defiance. The impact of the crash caused the truck to overturn and hit a utility pole. Garcia and his 18 year-old front seat passenger, Luis Ortega of Oceanside, California fled the scene of the crash, leaving two injured children in the back seat of their car. Ortega has been charged charged with obstructing official business. The two children, 6 year-old Jazlene Smith and 8 year-old Jon Parpa, both of Lima were transported to St. Rita's along with Mr.Gallagher.
Allen County Sheriff's Deputies located Garcia and Ortega along U.S. 30.
