Man Killed in Omaha Crash Identified; Driver Faces Charges
A 70-year-old man died after his Porsche was struck by a pickup truck whose driver, identified as an undocumented immigrant, ran a red light, authorities said.
A fatal collision in Omaha on Sunday claimed the life of 70-year-old Christopher Szalkowski, who was driving his vintage Porsche 911 when it was struck by a pickup truck that allegedly ran a red light.
The crash occurred just before 4 p.m. on Sunday. The driver of the pickup truck has been identified as 32-year-old Jose Ortega-Romero. According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Ortega-Romero ran a red light before colliding with Szalkowski's vehicle.
Szalkowski was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died. He and his wife, Katrina, were owners of European Motors, a car mechanic company.
Ortega-Romero was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Department of Corrections. He faces charges including disobeying a stop light, no operator's license, and misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide. Authorities stated that Ortega-Romero presented a Mexican consulate identification and lacked any U.S. identification.
The Department of Homeland Security was notified, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer requesting that Ortega-Romero be held in custody for potential federal immigration detention. The Douglas County Department of Corrections informed ICE that they had a four-hour window to take custody before he would be released. Subsequently, the Nebraska State Patrol took Ortega-Romero into custody under an agreement with ICE to provide transportation, and he was transported to Sarpy County Jail on the ICE detainer.
Ortega-Romero posted bond shortly after midnight on Monday, paying ten percent of a $7,500 bond, according to reports. The Nebraska State Patrol confirmed his transport to Sarpy County Jail on the ICE detainer.
