Tucson Station Border Patrol agents arrested Mauricio Penaloza-Salazar ,a Mexican national Wednesday night near Sasabe and discovered through record checks his multiple felony convictions to include vehicular assault in 2007, which resulted in the death of child.
Agents patrolling near Sasabe arrested 40-year-old Penaloza for being illegally present in the United States. During processing, agents conducted a records check on Penaloza which revealed his 2007 conviction in Manchester, Tennessee, for “Vehicular Homicide,” “Criminal Simulation,” and “Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.” Penaloza was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Penaloza was driving under the influence when he struck another vehicle and critically injured a mother and child who were airlifted to a local hospital. A second child was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Penaloza had been previously convicted in 2002 in Chesterfield, Virginia, for felony “Hit and Run” and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
Penaloza will be prosecuted for criminal immigration violations involving re-entry of an aggravated felon.
All persons apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal immigrants with criminal histories are positively identified.