Illegal Aliens and Unlicensed Drivers

Recently, this issue raised its ugly head once again in Santa Rosa, CA. It will not be the last time for sure and is played out many communities.

In the local case, the parents of a 4-yr. old, lost their son while playing near their home. The Mexican driver hit the boy while the boy was walking in a crosswalk. within seconds, both lives had changed forever. The parents lost a beloved child and Marcos Garcia, 24, faced a critical decision moments after.

Should he remain at the scene and wait for police or run? Since Marcos was in the US illegally (although, he worked at a pizza place) and had no drivers license and fear permeated his soul, he ran. It became a hit and run. Marcos had hoped to somehow make it to Mexico before the "bad" happened. It can be done. Look at the gruesome murders of Ramon Salcido in 1989 (also in the same area). A legal resident, he killed his white wife and then killed two of the three girls. One girl survived. Ramon managed, despite CNN coverage and state wide alerts, to cross back into Mexico. He had used back roads from Northern California all the way down to San Diego- a good 10 hour drive.

But Marcos is not Ramon. After the murder, he drove to a nearby park to survey the damage to his Volvo. Then, he went to his employer seeking an advance in pay so to travel to Southern California. Marcos was caught and placed in jail. This was not the first time either. In 2010, police had stopped him and cited him for driving without a license and fined. He was on probation for a year. Even though Marcos was told not to drive, he did so anyway until this put him behind bars. In his eyes, how was he going to get to work? Survive? Judges face this issue everyday with anyone driving without a license. Judges know, they will drive anyway.

Also, just because one has a license, does not mean the same accident could not happen. That is why they are called accidents. But, Marcos did not get a license because he was illegally here and he feared getting busted by ICE and being deported. Of course, when one is caught without a license their car is impounded for 30 days. That is far more serious than a ticket because suddenly you have a problem for a considerable time-getting to work, losing the job, getting around. Marcos, being here illegally, also was paid in cash as he delivered pizza, thus, he also took a job that someone who was legally here might need-even well the educated might take it for extra cash. Who knows?

In court, Marcos did express remorse, he fought off tears. Marcos worse case scenario is now upon him. He most likely will face five years in jail and then be deported back to Mexico. The odds are great that Marcos will return illegally in 2017 and once again, drive unlicensed. I guess that is "Deja Vu" or "The Circle of Life".