|
Man Charged in Fatal Wreck now Facing Immigrations Charges
Nov. 11, 2010
By Debbie Van Pelt
Juan L. Cardoza-Guizar
Booking Photo, LSPD
The sun wasn’t even up on Monday, November 1, when Juan L. Cardoza-Guizar left his Raintree home in south Lee’s Summit for work. By 6:30 a.m., he was heading west on U.S. 50 Highway, when minutes later, the world was turned upside down for Cardoza, his family and the family of 49-year-old Cozzette Latimer. His white van had crossed the narrow, grassy median near Chipman Road, crashing into Latimer’s car. Latimer, a patient care technician at Lee’s Summit Medical Center and a single mother of a 12-year-old son, was pronounced dead at the scene. Now, Cardoza (his name shortened for simplicity) sits in jail.
At 6:38 a.m., Lee’s Summit police were sent to the gruesome accident. A search warrant shows that Cardoza had placed an outgoing call from his cell phone at 6:37 a.m., which officers say coincides with the time of the crash. Cordoza says the wreck happened because he swerved to the left to avoid a rear end collision.
Cardoza was taken to Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence for treatment of relatively minor injuries. After spending the night at Centerpoint, he was released to the custody of Lee’s Summit Police and charged with two class A misdemeanors in connection with the accident: Careless and imprudent driving and Driving without a valid license. The 35-year-old is being held without bond at the Jackson County Detention Center in Kansas City for the two state misdemeanor charges.
Under most circumstances, a person charged with just two traffic violations would be given the opportunity to post bond. However, Cardoza not only was without a valid driver’s license, he reportedly was without a legitimate Social Security number, causing Lee’s Summit Police to alert U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Under Missouri law, defendants suspected of being in the country illegally must be held without bond. Information obtained from the Detention Center today indicates that ICE has now levied “fugitive” charges against Cardoza. Because today (the Tribune’s press deadline) was Veterans Day, a federal holiday, immigration officials were not available to discuss why the fugitive charges have been made.
Cardoza is, by all accounts, a family man who takes good care of his home and his family. He works as a carpet layer and lives in a neighborhood with home values averaging more than $200,000. He has five children, one born just three days before the accident. Although Cardoza and his wife speak very little English, their neighbors say they can’t believe he’s in the country illegally, and that, in fact his wife previously lived in Minnesota. They further describe Cardoza as friendly, helpful and church-going. They’re particularly impressed with Cardoza’s oldest daughter, approximately 13 years old, who helps neighbors with the language barrier.
A records search by the Tribune indicates Cardoza and his wife have lived in Lee’s Summit since at least 2002, paying personal property and real estate taxes each year. They have managed to buy two homes in Lee’s Summit and one in Kansas City, obtaining mortgages for each, in spite of Cardoza reportedly not having a Social Security number. They have lived in their Raintree home for the past three and a half years, although they still own all three homes. Jackson County tax records show a total market value of $336,000 for the three homes. BAC Tax Services of Van Nuys, CA is the mortgage holder of all three properties.
Two different attorneys have filed an “Entry of Appearance” regarding Cardoza’s case. Neither would confirm nor deny information, stating “attorney/client privilege”. Cardoza is due in Jackson County Court on December 8.
In a previous story, the Tribune reported that safety improvements are coming to U.S. 50 Highway near Chipman Road, although it will be late spring or summer of 2011 before work will be completed. http://lstribune.net/lees-summit-news/deadly-accidents-near-50-and-chipman-lee-s-summit-demonstrate-need-for-safety-changes.htm
http://lstribune.net/lees-summit-news/deadly-accidents-near-50-and-chipman-lee-s-summit-demonstrate-need-for-safety-changes.htm
*******UPDATE Friday, November 12, 2010 2:45 p.m. ********
A Jackson County Detention Center records department employee now tells the Tribune the
reported fugitive charge was the result of a system coding problem.
While Immigrations officials have placed a detainer on Mr. Cardoza
because he is considered "deportable", ICE has not officially charged
him. Juan L. Cardoza will be released to ICE upon release from Jackson
County custody.
| |
