A Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene of a traffic accident in Key West, but did not offer any medical help to the injured man who was bleeding on the ground, Infact the first thing he asked the cyclist, who had just been hit by a SUV was “Speak English?’’
He also asked him “You’re illegal? Are you a legal citizen or no?”
A new video from the deputy’s body cam shows 31-year-old Marcos Antonio Huete from Honduras, on the side of a Key West roadway, with his bicycle at his side. He had just been hit by a GMC Sierra SUV en route to work, according to the traffic accident report.
With an injured Heute on the ground, the deputy continued to ask questions “You got ID? Passport, visa, what?”
After the initial round of questions, the deputy finally asked “You want an ambulance or no?”
One of the deputies on the scene finally called an ambulance that took him to a nearby hospital.
Huete’s sister, Olga, reported the incident to the media. Marcos Huete, an undocumented immigrant who works in construction, financially supports his mother and his two daughters who live in Honduras. He is now facing deportation.
The accident took place around 7:45 a.m. April 27th at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Mile Marker 4.5, according to the Florida Highway Patrol report. According to the report, the driver of the SUV, Tiffany Andree Pierce, 44, of Key West, was exiting U.S. 1 onto MacDonald Avenue. Huete was trying to cross McDonald and darted out in front of the SUV, the FHP report said. Pierce struck the right rear tire of Huete’s bicycle.
The report said Huete was cited for “obstructing/hindering traffic’’
The driver of the SUV was allowed to leave the scene almost immediately.
Huete was transported to Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West. After Huete was discharged from the hospital on crutches, Huete’s sister said that a police officer told Huete to return to the accident scene.
“He did not tell us why, but we went back because my brother had not done anything. We had no reason to flee,” said Olga Huete
At the accident scene, federal Border Patrol agents showed up and asked to see Huete’s papers. They sent him to Krome Detention Center in south Miami-Dade, where he has spent almost a month in detention.
Questions have been raised about how the officer dealt with the situation, he seemed more interested in Huetes legal status than if he was injured.
Source: miamiherald.com