Cross: Only persons legally in the US should drive in Oregon

Letter date: 
Friday, April 19, 2013
Letter publisher: 
StatesmanJournal.com
Letter author: 
David Cross
Letter body: 

The Legislature should reject Senate Bill 833 that would grant some form of Oregon driver license to foreign nationals illegally in the state under the pretense of the legislation being an issue of public safety.

In an annual report filed Jan. 1 by DMV administrator Tom McClellan — a report required since passage of Senate Bill 1080 in 2008 that required legal presence to obtain a driver’s license — he imparts, “Four years after implementing a legal presence requirement in Oregon, changes in driver licensing requirements have not had a major impact on the rate of unlicensed and uninsured driving.”

In reality, before passage of that legislation, the issuing of a driver’s license some illegal aliens didn’t seem to motivate them in the name of public safety to obtain automobile insurance or in some cases even have a valid driver license. Here is short history of seven victims whose lives were extinguished violently and prematurely by illegal alien drivers who chose to drive impaired and recklessly:

Judyth Anne Cox, 66, of Newberg was killed in Yamhill County on Dec. 3, 2007 by Ignacio Merendon-Zerega, a Mexican national illegally in the state. Merendon-Zerega had six prior DUIIs, most occurring in Marion County. He had no driver license or insurance.

Carma Colleen Smith, 52, of Dayton was killed in Yamhill County on May 11, 2008 (Mothers Day), by Leonel Zurita-Loeza, a Mexican national illegally in the state. Zurita-Loeza was on a diversion for a previous DUII at the time. He had a driver license but no insurance.

Justin Daniel Dougherty, 23, was killed in Lane County on March 4, 2008, by Eduardo Gutierrez-Duarte, a Mexican national. Gutierrez-Duarte had a previous DUII in 2004. He had a driver license but no insurance.

Kay Blaser, 26, was killed in Clackamas County on Oct. 12, 2008, by Fernando Deanda-Moreno, a Mexican national illegally in the state. Deanda-Moreno had neither a driver license nor insurance.

Barbara Jean Bier, 52, was killed in Polk County on Nov. 21, 2008, by Martin Martinez-Aguilar, who had a driver license but no insurance.

Albert Lloyd Rowland, 53, was killed in Multnomah County on May 13, 2010, by Mexican national Alvaro Lugos-Ponce. He had no driver license or insurance.

John Zupan (founder of Zupan’s Markets), 66, was killed in Multnomah County on Aug. 30, 2011, by Edy Porfirio Reynoso-Ramirez, a Mexican national illegally in the state. He had no driver license or insurance.

The driver licenses of the previously mentioned illegal aliens (whose licenses were issued prior to 2008’s SB1080) have been revoked or suspended. But their criminal driving history may not prevent them from driving again in the state. Particularly problematic with SB 833 is the legislation might allow some of them to use a Mexican matricula consular card to re-obtain a valid license.

If past history is any indicator of human behavior, SB 833 is legislation that could once again open up Oregon’s freeways, highways, roads and streets to the slaughter of its citizens by foreign nationals illegally present in the state.

It is unconscionable that any legislator would be willing to sponsor or support such irresponsible and dangerous legislation as SB 833 under the guise of it being a public safety issue.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on the subjects of illegal immigration and foreign national crime. Contact him at docfnc@yahoo.com.