Little Recourse for Drivers Hit by Uninsured Illegal Immigrants
Howard Ain, Bethel Journal (Oh.), Sept. 1
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It’s something that’s become a big problem in the Tristate—uninsured motorists damaging other vehicles and fleeing. Part of the problem can be traced to Hispanics who have moved to the area and who don’t have driver’s licenses.
Nadia Crum of Hamilton said her car was damaged in June while it was parked at her fiance’s employment parking lot.
“It was an Hispanic man who did not have a license, who did not have insurance and it wasn’t even his car. Now they’re trying to tell me that I have to pay $500 to get my car fixed,” Crum said.
Crum does have uninsured motorist insurance, but the $500 she will have to pay is from the deductible for the $2,000 in damage done to her car. Fortunately, the car is still drivable, but it has been knocked out of alignment—in addition to the scrapes and dents that are now in it.
Crum said she doesn’t want to have to pay anything and blames the driver of the car that hit hers.
“They took him to jail that night because he was a drunk driver. He got out Monday on bond and they can’t find him,” she said.
Forest Park police tell me the driver failed to show up for his court date so a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Now, I’ve advised Crum to go after the owner of the vehicle, and she’s notifying the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles that the owner failed to pay the damages as required under the state’s financial responsibility law. The car owner may now have his driver’s license suspended.
Attorney Iversy Velez of Florence said unlicensed, uninsured Hispanics are involved in traffic accidents almost every day. She blames it on the U.S. policy of not giving driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.
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(Posted on September 1, 2005)