Prosecutors offer evidence as to how an undocumented immigrant ran over his own friend while drunk last spring. It’s the first time a camera was allowed to capture the proceedings in Douglas County District Court.
Orling Carrasco-Zelaya, 28, is charged with motor vehicle homicide in the death of Margarita Nava-Luna.
On Wednesday in court prosecutors show the surveillance video from Bogie's bar and grill near 108th & W. Maple Rd. where Zelaya and Nava-Luna had been drinking before the incident on April 17. They’re seen leaving together and Nava-Luna is found dead 3 blocks away at 104th & Anderson Plaza. Zelaya was stopped in his GMC Acadia a short time later for DUI allegedly with blood alcohol content three times the legal limit.
Investigators believe Zelaya ran over his friend because they found blood and tissue underneath his vehicle that matched the victim’s DNA.
“The vehicle was backing up, the victim Mr. Nava-Luna was underneath the vehicle and the vehicle was backing up and he was being drug underneath the rear 2/3rds portion of the vehicle,” said OPD Officer Kevin Potter.
After Zelaya’s arrested he allegedly tells investigators he left the bar by himself, got lost, and was stopped by sheriffs. But one officer testified that Zelaya said nothing when told him what happened to his friend.
“(Zelaya) dropped his head and a big sigh and really didn’t say anything. Didn’t ask how, where, when,” OPD Ofc. Todd Reeson described.
The defense argued that Nava-Luna died from injuries that were more likely caused by someone hitting him at a high rate of speed, and nothing proved he was killed by Zelaya’s GMC Acadia.
Immigration and customs enforcement issued a deportation order on Zelaya in 2012 but he used aliases like Edwin Elvir-Palma to stay in the U.S. Testimony also revealed he worked under a third name, Estario Gonzalez. Proceedings will continue on Thursday.
