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Affidavit: Driver Ran To Hooters After Ice Cream Crash
Girlfriend Says Suspect Cried, Said He Killed People
POSTED: 6:18 pm MDT September 10, 2008
UPDATED: 6:43 pm MDT September 10, 2008
DENVER -- The driver accused of causing a horrific crash at an Aurora ice cream shop that killed three people, including a 3-year-old boy, ran to a nearby Hooters, according to an affidavit released Wednesday.Police said Hernandez was the driver of a Chevrolet Suburban that ran a red light and collided with a Mazda pickup truck. The Mazda hit two Xcel power boxes, shearing off the cover of one, which flew through the glass windows of a Baskin Robbins store. Inside, waiting for ice cream with his mother, was 3-year-old Marten Kudlis. He died after being pulled from the wreckage. Two women in the pickup, Patricia Guntharp, 49, and Debra Serecky, 51, were killed instantly.
According to the affidavit, Hernandez ran to the Hooters at 2610 S. Parker Road because, "he was afraid he would be taken to jail because he had no insurance, no driver's license and that would prevent him from seeing his kids."While there, he called his girlfriend Brenda Aleman to come pick him up, according to the affidavit. When Aleman picked Hernandez up, he "began to cry, stating he believed he had just killed four people," the affidavit read.Aleman took Hernandez back to their apartment on Girard Avenue where police were waiting and took him into custody, according to the affidavit.While at the apartment, officers saw a cut on his left ear, a contusion on the left check, an abrasion on his shoulder and multiple scratches on Hernandez's stomach, face and hands, the affidavit said.Police later learned that Hernandez is an illegal immigrant and had been arrested more than a dozen times since 2003 by nine different state police departments. Some of the arrests were for criminal impersonation and forgery; the bulk were for traffic violations, including driving without a license and without insurance. Hernandez faces charges of vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and reckless driving, and ICE has placed a hold on him. Hernandez's attorney, Kallman Elinoff, said he doesn't know whether his client is in the country illegally but that the issue is irrelevant to the case.
Family Buries Boy Killed In Ice Cream Crash
At the start of Wednesday's service, held at the chapel at Fairmount Cemetery, Marten's father cried, "I really loved him."Marat Kudlis then yelled, "That bastard!" referring to the man many people blame for causing the crash.But it wasn't anger that permeated the ceremony. It was instead a deep sorrow."This burden feels like more than we can bear because it is so sudden. It's a parent's worst nightmare," said the rabbi presiding over the Russian Jewish service. "It does not seem fair and it is not fair to lose someone so young."The first song played at the service was Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven."Marten's uncle, Eddie Kudlis, choked out words between sobs."I called him monster, my little monster. He was everything but," Eddie Kudlis said. He prayed to his mother -- Marten's grandmother -- who died just last year."Mom, help my little monster, my little buddy," Eddie Kudlis said.The Kudlis family took solace in the rabbi's words -- that Marten is now with God and now has everlasting life in their hearts.Marten was born in Estonia and had just learned to ride a bicycle. Inside his open casket was a teddy bear.During the service, the family played a video montage of Marten and played songs sung by children in Estonia.After the funeral, some people drove back to the crash site, home of a memorial which has grown exponentially and covers half the distance between the sidewalk and the boarded up facade."I helped pull Martin out of the building. I was right there with him. He squeezed my hand. I held his hand until he passed on," said Duane Stokes. "My fiance and I were just saying a prayer to Marten and just getting one last glimpse of everything around here. Just to say our goodbyes to him."The owner of the Baskin Robbins wants to rebuild his store and reopen by Friday. He said he's received permission to donate the hundreds of stuffed animals, cards and flowers at the site to charity.Guntharp's funeral is Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Horan and McConaty Mortuary at 11150 E. Dartmouth Ave. Serecky's cremation service will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Fairmount Mortuary. Both are open to the public.Serecky's husband said he was thankful for his wife's coworkers at Albertson's."The Albertson's people she worked with they were -- it was like a light through the tunnel. I was totally distraught. They went to the accident and put up a plywood with a card and had customers and coworkers come and sign the card. I left the card in the Albertson's parking lot so people can have their finish with her. They are going to have a plaque mounted outside of Albertson's wall, near the smoker's area, in her name. I think that is really stepping up, that she touched a lot of people. I think it is outstanding that a grocery store would do that. It shows that people really cared about her."Her coworkers said she will never be forgotten."Debbie was like the best person to work with. She was like my personal diary ... I told her everything and she was always there for everybody. She was like everybody's mom," said Serecky's co-worker Kerry Hettick.
Previous Stories:
- September 10, 2008: Family Buries Boy Killed In Ice Cream Crash
- September 9, 2008: No Record Of ICE Inquiry In Illegal Immigrant's Case
- September 8, 2008: Driver 'Grieving' Over Deaths From Ice Cream Crash, Attorney Says
- September 5, 2008: Police: Unlicensed Driver Sparked Deadly Ice Cream Shop Crash
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