Illegal Immigrant Accused of Killing Indiana Mother in DUI Hit-and-Run

An alleged drunk driver, who entered the U.S. illegally and was subsequently released, is accused of killing a 33-year-old mother in an Indianapolis hit-and-run incident. The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Honduran national Edwin Alexander Sosa-Gonzalez, struck Tamara Thomas in a gas station parking lot on Saturday.

According to police documents, Sosa-Gonzalez was speeding in his Honda CRV when he collided with another vehicle. The impact caused his car to swerve over curbs, ultimately striking Thomas, who was reportedly waiting to be picked up by her brothers. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sosa-Gonzalez, who reportedly entered the U.S. illegally through Texas in July 2021, fled the scene. He was apprehended hours later by law enforcement, who noted signs of alcohol impairment, including a smell of alcohol, stumbling, and slurred speech.

Authorities reported that Sosa-Gonzalez's blood alcohol concentration was 0.229%, nearly three times the legal limit in Indiana. He faces charges including operating a vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident causing death, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Sosa-Gonzalez was taken into ICE custody in February 2024 after a prior arrest for driving while intoxicated and without a license. ICE filed a detainer for him on Sunday, the day after the fatal crash.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the immigration policies of the Biden administration in connection with the incident. "This illegal alien, who had been released into our country by the Biden Administration, took the life of 33-year-old Tamara Renee Thomas because he was drunk behind the wheel," Mullin stated. He added, "This disaster was completely avoidable, and were it not for the reckless open-border policies of the Biden Administration, this woman would still be alive."

Tamara Thomas' father, Tommy Thomas, expressed his grief and regret. He told Fox59 that while his daughter had struggled with personal issues, including substance use, she had recently begun to overcome them. He lamented that she died as a result of the alleged DUI crash rather than other circumstances, stating, "I hate to say it, but I wish it had been an overdose. I hate to know how much pain, if any, that she went through, you know, pinned underneath that car, and when that guy hit her."

Tommy Thomas also spoke of his desire to provide his daughter with a proper burial and scatter her ashes in Hawaii if she is cremated.