Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu stepped up on Saturday to support a single mom and her small children after their vehicle was destroyed and they were nearly killed by an illegal entrant, who had previously been deported 6 times. The popular sheriff pitched in at a car wash at the Native Grill in Maricopa to raise money for Tricia and her kids David, age 5, and Kennedy, age 2.
A gofundme account has also been set up to help the family.
As ADI previously reported, on July 4 Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a two vehicle collision with injuries. It was reported that at least two occupants had fled the scene and that one had returned a short time later.
The 5 year-old David received a significant laceration to the head and was bleeding. He was transported by air ambulance to a local hospital and the 2 year-old Kennedy was transported by ground ambulance for her injuries.
Perez-Vasques was driving a white 2003 Ford Explorer. Perez was seen with at least one other individual running from the collision into a nearby field and then later returning. One witness to the event stated there may have been anywhere from two to five individuals that had run from the Ford Explorer.
Detectives from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Vehicular Crimes Unit determined, Perez traveled left of center causing the collision. Perez refused to tell deputies where he lived, he also said he didn’t know the name of the person that owned the vehicle he was driving, nor did he know the name of the person that was in the vehicle with him.
Perez showed signs and symptoms of drug impairment and was placed under arrest for Driving while Impaired by Drugs and Leaving the Scene of an Injury Collision (felony). Manuel Perez-Vasquez is now in the Pinal County Jail.
When asked if Perez-Vasques would likely be treated as the sanctuary cities such as Tucson or Phoenix likely would treat him Sheriff Babeau said, “We enforce all the laws in Pinal County and turn over criminal illegals to the ICE after so they can deport. Sadly, little is done (no consequences for illegals) by the feds, often releasing them back in our communities to start the process over.”