Olympia, Wash. (CNN/KOMO) — A Washington State Patrol trooper has been reprimanded for her actions in a February traffic stop that ultimately resulted in the deportation of a undocumented immigrant.
A routine traffic collision with no injuries turned into something that has changed lives.
Armando Chavez Corona, the victim in the crash, has been deported.
His family claimed the trooper kept him at the scene too long. Even though they admit he was here illegally–married to a U.S. citizen.
In a portion of the phone conversation the trooper had with an ICE officer obtained by KOMO news has her using the word “stall.” The trooper said, “So I can stall actually until he gets here. Probably 20 minutes to a half an hour.”
The ICE officer replied, “This guy was deported before as an aggravated felon for methamphetamine possession. That’s his criminal. So we really want him.”
The family says Chavez corona was out at the scene here for several hours. But the Washington State Patrol Chief said the internal investigation did not show that the trooper actually did stall.
“She did not. The investigation didn’t prove that,“ said Chief John Batiste. “She was at a very complicated collision scene. in fact she was at multiple collision scenes.”
But the trooper is getting a personnel file reprimand for a comment heard on the dashcam between the trooper and a civilian ride-along. Chief John Batiste said, “Just through comments mimicking the individual that she was in contact with.”
Trooper: “I’m going to ask his mother’s and father’s names. ‘I don’t know, know my father’s name. No habla ingles.’ Ha, ha”
“Well she’s being reprimanded for, in our view, failure to fully comply with department policy in terms of not bringing shame or an embarrassing situation to the agency,” Chief Batiste said.
We’re not naming the trooper since she wasn’t terminated and no criminal charges are pending.
In fact, the chief hopes she has a long, successful career. He said, “I think her career will continue to be a good career as it has been so far.”
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