Illegal Immigrant Charged In Student's Death (Had Previous Arrests)

WSMV-TV Nashville ^ | June 21, 2007 | Catharyn Campbell

[2ndDivisionVet]

An illegal immigrant is facing vehicular homicide charges in the death of a college student.

Victor Benitez appeared in court Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing in the death of Tennessee State University student-athlete Joycelyn Gardiner.

Three witnesses took the stand and detailed the events surrounding Gardiner’s death.

“There was no sound of breaks or anything; (he) just came straight in. The light was red. I could see the light,” said Kent Redgrave.

One witness told the court that he saw Benitez run a red light and slam into Gardiner’s car.

The crash occurred early Saturday at the intersection of Old Hickory Blvd. and Nolensville Road.

Gardiner died at a hospital several hours after crash.

Officers who responded to the crash said it was obvious Benitez had been drinking.

“As I approached the driver’s side door, I noticed that Mr. Benitez had a strong sense of alcoholic beverages about his person and very red, watery eyes. His speech was very slurred. I inquired of his condition as he had some blood on him. He became very combative and began to use profanity,” said Metro police Officer William Williams.

Williams said he also had arrested Benitez about one year before on suspicion of public drunkenness.

“I actually advised him that the young lady was hurt pretty badly. He started using profanity and stated that he didn't hit anybody and was not involved in a crash,” he said.

A blood sample from Benitez was sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for testing.

“She wasn't in a dope deal gone bad. She wasn't in a robbery or burglary. She was just driving down the dad-gum road. You just can't understand until you sit in on meetings with the survivors of these types of crimes: the mommas, the daddies, the sisters. You just don't know,” said Assistant District Attorney James Sledge.

Representatives said they had had no way of knowing that Benetiz was in the U.S. illegally during his previous arrests.

Metro got access in the spring to a new program which allows investigators to do detailed background checks including the status of immigrants.

All of Benitez’s arrests were before the program was put into place.

The case was bound over to a grand jury.

Friends and family of Gardiner declined comment.

[dr_lew]

I had my own sort of mini-preview of this kind of thing three or four years ago when I was involved in a "fender-bender" in a mall parking lot. Referring to the Google Maps page, I was coming from the upper left along a parking aisle, and making a left turn onto the lane at the intersection at the center of the diagram. It was winter, and there was snow piled up along the lane, obstructing vision. As I pulled out, I saw a car hurtling towards me from my left. I was puzzled because it was not slowing down. My thought was "Geez, he's going to hit me". And hit me he did. I think he finally slowed somewhat, but he clipped my left rear, near the gas fill pipe. Body damage, but nothing major. This guy didn't speak english. Apparently, he worked at an "organic" grocery store adjacent to the Borders' Books in the building to the upper left of the Google Maps page. Some guys appeared from the store, a friend of his, and a supervisor. I asked if he had insurance, "yes he has insurance" was the disgusted reply. I insisted on calling the cops. First thing the cop ( a young woman ) tells me is, "You're lucky this wasn't on the street, because it would be your fault." So, this guy is presumptively in the right. However, it wasn't on the street, it was in a parking lot.

Of course, I was down as "A" or whatever, being the presumptive bad actor. When I talked to my insurance rep, I asked if it didn't matter if he was speeding."Only if he was going 100 mph" was his answer. However, he didn't realize this was in a parking lot. When I told him, he made short work of the conversation, which I presumed was good for me, and I never heard much more about it.

I drive through this very spot quite often, and to this day, I can't understand how this guy was flying along they way he was, and why he didn't stop or slow down for me. Note there is an intersection just to the NE of where I pulled out, and it's a 3-way stop. He couldn't have been stopped there. The only thing I can figure is that he was on a work break, and was flying down this lane with the snow piles on either side like it was a bobsled run, but I'll never be able to understand what he thought he was doing. After the accident, I was standing there watching people creep along the parking lanes, and saw them stopping within half a car length.

[martin_fierro]

HAR DEE HAR HAR

[NTHockey]

I sent a copy of the article to my Senators, asking them to read before voting. I’ve also called both their offices to ask how they go to sleep each night knowing that their vote kills Americans.

Any Senator who votes for amnesty should be criminally responsible for every death.

[Does so]

Dave Barry once wrote of Miami:

"Miami is a city made up of the people of 100 countries—all driving according to the rules of their native countries."

'Course now, Miami is down to about six countries' rules—all awful—a good thing Miami's got gridlock! :-0

[Jabba the Nutt]

"He became very combative and began to use profanity,"

He's a Brown Supremacist. How dare the police question him.

Check out this link to see what happens when Americans march in Los Angeles: VideoFest: ANSWER, Brown Supremacists Get Pwn3d By Various Patriots from The Jawa Report.

[em2vn]

“There was no sound of breaks .......”
This is both a great effort at writing and editing. Is there any wonder that so many newpapers are in a financial pinch?

[nyyankeefan]

this is just another reason for NO AMNESTY!!!!

1. build the fence ~ any illegal crossing ~ shoot to kill
2. stop anchor babies
3. NO social services for illegals
4. fine all employers hiring illegals and jail the ceo’s
5. no catch & release ~ except release into mexico

why can’t the no cajone republicans/lib-dems/jorge bush understand???

[mewzilla]

From last year....

City (Nashville) looks to deport criminal illegal immigrants via program

Sigh.

[upchuck]

This is both a great effort at writing and editing. Is there any wonder that so many newpapers are in a financial pinch?

I'm seeing more and more uncorrected grammatical and spelling errors in the DBM.

I'm thinking this may be a result of 40-50 years of dumbing down of our educational system. First they got the primary and secondary systems. Those dumbed down kids enter college, graduate and get a job.

Their employer may, at first, have objected to their dumbness. But eventually the employer realized that ALL the kids were like this.

This has now been going on long enough that the reporters and the editors are all dumbed down. And the blind can't lead the blind.

FWIW, I've noticed this seems particularly bad in articles written by television station employees. That may be caused by TV stations hiring a pretty face first and journalistic ability second. Sad.

[em2vn]

It’s hard to imagine that some universities have journalism schools and still they produce graduates who become journalists unfamiliar with the English language.
I prefer that they produce graduates who can become excellent writers and reporters.

[Travis McGee]

Just drunk-driving and killing the Americans that Americans are too lazy to kill.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Awful writing . I wonder how much they pay these people to write like this .

[upchuck]

I prefer that they produce graduates who can become excellent writers and reporters.

That would be my preference also. But, as they say, "It is what it is."

IMHO, that educational institutions have been hijacked by the leftists accounts for the bias we see/read/hear in the news.

[tioga]

is Nashville a “sanctuary” city?

[tioga]

Joycelyn Gardiner RIP.

[Afronaut]

"Representatives said they had had no way of knowing that Benetiz was in the U.S. illegally during his previous arrests."

I can't update a passport and the clowns in the Senate are going to do backround checks on 20 million peasants?

Let's see... Pedro Santiago... Hmmmmm... there are 1 million Pedro Santiago's...APPROVED!

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>I can hardly wait until “they” can ‘come out of the shadows’.<<

And of course, after they get their “temporary permanent” legal status, police reports won’t show that they were once illegal aliens before that latest amnesty.

[dragnet2]

The Nashville police and courts should be sued and fired..

Bttt

[Recovering Hermit]

I can finally say it's "Bush's Fault", and not be joking when I say it.

[NormsRevenge]

The “fix” is in. plain and simple.