Arrest of Mexican National for DUI and Fatal Hit-and-Run

A Mexican national, living in the U.S. unlawfully for over ten years and ignoring federal deportation orders, was arrested Friday in Orange County, California. He faces charges for drunk driving and the death of a 71-year-old man, according to federal officials.

Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle, as reported by the Orange County Register. The victim, identified as Barry William Tutt, 71, from La Verne, suffered severe injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Witnesses described a silver Ford sedan fleeing the scene. Detectives later located the driver, Humberto Muñoz Gatica, 57, from Laguna Niguel.

Gatica was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of DUI and related offenses. The investigation is still ongoing.

This isn’t Gatica’s first brush with law enforcement. He was initially arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2011 for illegally entering the country. He was released under the Obama administration with a court appearance notice but failed to show up. Consequently, a federal immigration judge ordered his deportation in absentia in 2012.

Since then, it appears Gatica has been living as a fugitive in California, a state that has branded itself a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

Authorities say Gatica is charged with DUI causing death and hit-and-run causing death. Additionally, he had previous charges related to robbery in Orange County in 2011 but eventually pleaded guilty to grand larceny in a plea bargain.