A 20-year-old woman named Johanna Pascoe was found dead in Racine County, Wisconsin, a few days before Christmas last year. An illegal immigrant has pled not guilty to her murder.
21-year-old illegal immigrant Ernesto Regalado Rodriguez pleaded not guilty this month to causing death while driving drunk, driving while unlicensed that resulted in death, and first-degree reckless endangerment of safety in connection with a deadly collision that occurred on December 12.
Police in Racine County said that Rodriguez was responsible for a fatal head-on collision with Pascoe. When emergency personnel arrived, Pascoe was unconscious and on her way to work as a nurse at Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center. She had recently graduated from Gateway Technical College.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, had already exited his car before the police arrived. They said Rodriguez reeked of booze and was intoxicated when they spoke to him. A blood test revealed that Rodriguez’s blood alcohol content was double the limit, making it illegal for him to operate a motor vehicle.
Four empty beers were allegedly located in Rodriguez’s car, and he admitted to police that he had been drinking but thought he was okay to drive.
A day after the accident, on December 13, Pascoe passed away.
Rodriguez’s status as an illegal alien with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer and a bond amount of more than $500,000 was initially revealed by Wisconsin Right Now’s Jim Piwowarczyk:
Rodriguez reportedly informed Caledonia’s Deputy Chief of Police Shawn Engleman that he is not a U.S. citizen and moved to Wisconsin from Mexico three years ago. He needed to learn what the hold was for and whether or not Rodriguez was an authorized alien resident. The Racine County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail, confirmed its existence but declined to speak further. [Italics mine]
According to her obituary, Pascoe was a young woman full of life and adventure which took great pride in helping others and caring for all living things.
According to her obituary, Pascoe “had a very compassionate heart” and had lately volunteered at the animal sanctuary Tiny Hooves. “She was a regular at blood drives and volunteered for events to collect money to help prevent suicide. She was a passionate advocate for everyone who wasn’t receiving compassion since it was her life’s motto: “BE KIND.”
Rodriguez risks almost 30 years in jail if he is found guilty.