State Rep. in accident with suspected illegal immigrant

BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A serious car crash involving a local lawmaker and a suspected illegal immigrant is threatening to reignite already heated debates about immigration on Beacon Hill, according to police reports obtained by FOX25.

State Rep. Mike Moran of Brighton was rear-ended by a suspected illegal immigrant this week. The suspect was wearing a Mexican costume at the time of the crash where he slammed into Moran at 60 mph.

The suspect, 27-year-old Isaias Naranjo, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a valid license. According to the report, when told of the serious charges he would be facing, he just laughed.

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But because of action taken by Gov. Deval Patrick, state police were unable to notify immigration authorities that Naranjo might be illegal.

Three years ago, Patrick revoked an order by former governor Mitt Romney which gave state police power to investigate immigration violations.

The governor's aides are defending the measure, saying the department of correction can still pursue the violation.

The accident is bound to reverberate at the Statehouse where lawmakers just narrowly rejected a bill to crackdown on illegal immigrants.

This could also become an issue in the governor's race because of what Patrick did three years ago.

The suspect, whose blood alcohol content was .25 at the time of the accident according to the police report, is being held on $50,000 cash bail.