On August 23, at about 6:20 p.m., a suspected impaired driver caused a collision on Hunt Highway, west of Paso Fino Way, which injured 4 persons. The driver fled the scene on foot, and after eluding deputies for a brief time, was arrested for driving while impaired, aggravated assault, hit and run, and criminal damage. The suspect is identified as Julio Cesar Lavarga-Carranza, a 22-year-old male Mexican-national, who admitted to being in the country illegally.
Pinal County Sheriff’s 9-1-1 Call Center received numerous calls from citizens regarding a collision with two vehicles that had crashed in to a residential wall on Hunt Highway near Paso Fino Trail. A witness reported that the driver of a white Honda, involved in the collision, had fled on foot from the scene.
Deputies responded to find 2 adults and 3 children (under the age of 6-years-old) had minor injuries from being involved in the collision. Other deputies searched and located the suspected driver in a field north of Hunt Highway. He was arrested and returned to the scene, where he was correctly identified as the driver of the white Honda.
A witness reported to deputies that the suspect was driving the white Honda erratically and was attempting to pass the victim’s vehicle illegally on the right, which is a dirt easement. Lavarga-Carranza lost control and collided with another vehicle, which carried a family of five. Both vehicles then collided into a brick wall of a near-by residence.
Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “The likelihood is, that this illegal will fail to show for any court date and our Pinal County family will be denied justice or compensation for their injuries. Our laws need to apply to everyone in the U.S., not just our citizens. In the end, it is our citizens who are being victimized and punished by no enforcement of our immigration laws.”
Lavarga-Carranza was booked into the Pinal County Adult Detention Center where he is being held.