Guatemalan woman pleads guilty in traffic death case

Brian Lazenby:

A Guatemalan woman today pleaded guilty in Hamilton County Criminal Court to charges stemming from a June 27 incident in which she lost control of her vehicle and rammed a residence.

An elderly woman inside the home was injured and later died.

Vatalina Bautista-Vargas, 30, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide by reckless conduct and leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

Judge Don Poole accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Ms. Bautista-Vargas to four years, which will be suspended on two years of supervised probation.
Assistant District Attorney Jay Woods said Ms. Bautista-Vargas likely will be deported before serving any of her probation.

According to court records, Ms. Bautista-Vargas hit a home at 2805 E. 4th St. and knocked 91-year-old Lovella Winton from the home. Ms. Winton, who had been sleeping at the time, later died from her injuries.

Court officials said Ms. Winton’s family wanted Ms. Bautista-Vargas returned to society as soon as possible in an attempt to help her become a legal resident, but federal immigration officials stepped in and have begun the deportation process.

Illegal Alien Charged In Traffic Death To Be Deported