On Friday, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said that while the dragging death of a 23-year-old Milford man was tragic, the fact that the man accused of killing him is an illegal alien with a long arrest record is immaterial.
Gov. Patrick told reporters: “It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy.’’ But, he insisted, “Illegal immigration didn’t kill this person. A drunk driver killed this person, and we have laws about that. And I expect the book to be thrown at this person.’’
Last weekend, Milford police arrested Nicholas Dutan Guaman, 34, after he allegedly struck and killed a man on a motorcycle.
The victim, 23-year-old Matthew Denice, was hit and dragged close to a quarter mile by the pickup truck Guaman was driving, according to Milford Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin.
Numerous witnesses said they tried to stop Guaman as he continued to drag the young man through the streets of Milford.
Milford officer Jeanne Van Patten-Steiger, told the Milford Patch: “There were people all up and down the street,. . . [some] were pounding on the truck.”
Milford police Sgt. Jim Heron said that after Guaman turned on to Bancroft, from West Street, he drove across someone’s lawn where he ran over Denice again, before fleeing the scene off.
Guaman has been charged with motor vehicle homicide, DUI, negligent operation, leaving the scene of personal injury and death, possession of open container of alcohol in vehicle, failure to stop for police, driving without a license, failure to stop or yield, resisting arrest and wanton or reckless conduct creating risk to a child. He is currently being held in Worcester County Jail on an immigration detainer.
Of course, Patrick may simply be trying to cover for his own actions, as he banned localities throughout Massachusetts from participating in Secure Communities. That program reports illegal aliens in local jails to federal authorities for possible deportation.
After initially voicing support for Secure Communities, Gov. Patrick held a series of town hall meetings across Massachusetts on the subject in which large numbers of Latinos expressed their anger over the deportation program.
Patrick told reporters: “We run a serious risk of ethnic profiling and frankly fracturing incredibly important relationships in communities that are important for law enforcement.’’
In June, Massachusetts joined other states in defiance of federal immigration law.
At some point, had Guaman been reported to federal authorities, the family of this most recent victim of illegal immigration would still be enjoying this young man, rather than burying him.
And, there was ample opportunity to take this dangerous illegal alien off the streets for good. Guaman has a long list of violations dating back to 2007, including driving without a license, as well as more serious charges. In 2008, Milford police arrested the Ecuadorian national for breaking and entering and assault and battery on a police officer.
Of course, with what amounts to a statewide ‘sanctuary policy’ in place for criminal aliens, Guaman was allowed to continue placing the good people of Massachusetts in danger…until he killed one of them.
While the rhetoric coming from many state and local officials who claim that they have no legal role in enforcing our immigration laws--that is simply a lie.
Secure Communities aside, in 1996 the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIR) was passed as a federal law which requires local governments to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (now part of the Department of Homeland Security).
Though they will never admit it, Gov. Deval Patrick and the entire political leadership of Massachusetts have much to answer to in the untimely and brutal death of Matthew Denice.
Given Patrick’s unwillingness to protect his citizens from illegal aliens, there will undoubtedly be more such tragedies, and just as predictable…more denials of responsibility from Gov. Patrick.
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