'He could have saved my wife's life, but he didn't choose to': Illegal alien accused of leaving legal immigrant to burn to death in a fiery wreck

An illegal alien has been charged in the April 3 hit-and-run crash that left a Massachusetts mother dead.

Erpharo Gilbert, 46, a legal immigrant from Haiti, worked for Boston Medical Center and Victory Human Services. On April 3, she was making her way up Route 24 to the sanctuary city of Boston to begin her overnight shift as a social worker when the driver of a 2008 Toyota Scion TC smashed her vehicle into a concrete barrier, reported Boston.com.

After the initial impact, a pickup truck then rear-ended Gilbert's car, causing it to "become fully engulfed in flames," said police.

The driver of the Toyota fled his wreck and victim.

Although firefighters were ultimately able to put out the flames, Gilbert did not make it and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gilbert's husband, Jean Marie Coquillon of Raynham, told WPRI-TV that his wife might have survived had her killer stuck around to help rather than fleeing the scene.

"If you stopped and didn’t run, maybe you could have saved her life," said Coquillon.

The grieving husband later told WBTS-TV, "It was a big mistake for him. ... He could have saved my wife's life, but he didn't choose to."

Coquillon made clear that the man responsible couldn't remain hidden for long.

"This is America," he added. "They will find you, wherever you are. They will find you and you will pay."

Juan Leonardo Parra Altamirano, 33, an illegal alien from Ecuador, turned himself in on April 6 at the Massachusetts State Police barracks in Middleboro, where he was arrested, reported WBTS.

During his subsequent arraignment at Brockton District Court, Altamirano pleaded not guilty to leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in death, leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury, and leaving the scene of a crash causing property damage.

Prosecutors indicated that a bumper with a license plate was found at the scene of the crash, linking Altamirano to Gilbert's death, reported CBS News. Altamirano allegedly also hid the damaged Toyota and removed the remaining license plate.

Altamirano's bail has been set at $100,000.

"Thankfully, they got the guy. They got the guy, but it's not going to bring my wife back," said Coquillon. "I trust the justice system, and I know he'll pay for what he did."

Coquillon indicated his son is "still waiting for his mom to come home. ... Always at the window, looking, when he sees a black Honda, he knows that's his mom."

The Boston Herald reported that following Altamirano's arrest, ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston field office issued an immigration detainer. The Executive Office for Immigration Review under the Department of Justice will oversee potential removal proceedings.

Gilbert is allegedly among the many Americans victimized by illegal aliens this year.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 560 illegal aliens have been arrested in fiscal year 2023 for driving under the influence; 346 have been arrested for assault or battery; 282 have been arrested for burglary, robbery, larceny, or fraud; 93 have been arrested for sexual offenses; and 11 have been arrested for homicide.

Over 1 million illegal aliens stole into the U.S. between October and February, adding to the 2.3 million and 1.7 million who entered during the previous two fiscal years.

Long before the unprecedented surge under the Biden administration, Massachusetts already had a significant illegal alien population.

According to the American Immigration Council, there were at least 250,000 illegal aliens in the state as of 2016, accounting for 4% of the total population. That number reportedly jumped by 15,000 in 2017. A 2022 Federation for American Immigration Reform estimate puts the population around 300,000.

While Massachusetts is not officially a sanctuary state, a 2017 state Supreme Judicial Court ruling indicated that officers do not have the authority to arrest an illegal alien who is not facing criminal charges, reported NECN.

Even without that ruling, Boston and seven other cities in the state refuse to enforce federal immigration laws.

Juan Leonardo Parra Altamirano arrested in deadly West Bridgewater hit-and-runyoutu.be

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