A legislative panel took the first steps Tuesday toward launching a probe into how an illegal immigrant accused of causing a traffic collision that killed three people was allowed to remain in the country despite his past criminal record.
The Legislative Audit Committee voted to authorize state Auditor Sally Symanski to do preliminary research on conducting such an audit.
Symanski expected the inquiry would look at how state and local law enforcement agencies and the judicial system interacted in the case of Francis Hernandez, 23, an illegal immigrant who had been arrested more than a dozen times in the previous five years but never deported.
Hernandez is accused of driving a vehicle this month that struck a pickup in Aurora, killing two women in the truck as well as a 3-year-old boy who was in an ice cream shop hit by the truck.
Symanski will report back to the committee at its November meeting, where members will decide whether to proceed with the audit.
Tim Hoover, The Denver Post
