ICE Wasn't Notified Before Deadly Hit & Run Suspect Released
DENVER (CBS4)- Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not notified when a suspect driver, charged in a deadly hit-and-run that killed a semi driver, was released on bond from the Denver Sheriffs Department.
Ivan Zamarripa-Castaneda was released from custody on $25,000 bond at 5:28 p.m. March 10. Castaneda is also wanted by ICE for being in the country illegally.
The man who was driving a semi truck when he killed in a hit-and-run crash last week has been identified as John Anderson of Lone Tree.
Everyone involved believes that ICE should have been notified before Zamarripa-Castaneda was released.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified of Zamarripa-Castaneda's release more than an hour after he bonded out, at 6:33 p.m.
According to the Denver Sheriffs Department, "This is unacceptable and the sheriff has ordered an immediate internal review to determine why established notification processes did not take place before Zamarripa-Castaneda was released."
Zamarripa-Castaneda has been formally charged with vehicular homicide, DUI and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. He left the scene of the crash between a pickup truck and a semi truck on I-70. Both vehicles burst into flames.
Police in Denver arrested Zamarripa-Castaneda, 26, early the next morning at his home.
The Denver Sheriff's Department says it was just after 1 a.m. Monday when they received a request for notification from ICE.
The cause and manner of Anderson's death have not been released pending investigation.
The City of Denver does recognize requests for notification as well as criminal warrants from ICE, but it does not recognize detainers which ICE also requested in Zamarripa-Castaneda's case.
"It basically requests that we hold an individual past their release date up to 48-hours and allow ICE to come and pick them up. We have been told that that's illegal, that it's a violation of their 4th amendment rights and so we have not honored those since about 2013," said Denver County Sheriff Patrick Firman.
Jeffrey Lynch, the field office director for ICE's Denver region, can't speak specifically about the case but says when a detainer is requested, they expect one of two things from the holding agency.
"Either hold on the detainer, in that instance we ask someone to hold for 48 hours until we can make it to the jail to arrest them, or they will simply release them. Most jurisdictions give us a reasonable amount of time to respond," said Lynch.
Zamarripa-Castaneda is scheduled to appear in court on April 2.
