The suspect in a crash that claimed the life of a father of five on Highway 83 last week is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and has appealed the denial of his request to reopen his immigration case.
Miguel Ramirez Valiente, 42, was cited for careless driving resulting in death and driving with a revoked license after the crash, which killed Sean Buchanan. Colorado State Patrol said Buchanan was riding his motorcycle on Highway 83 when Ramirez Valiente allegedly swerved into his lane, hitting and killing him. Buchanan had just got a new job and was in the process of moving his family to Castle Rock the day he was killed.
Ramirez Valiente received attention in January while seeking sanctuary at a Colorado Springs church as he tried to avoid being deported to his native El Salvador.
But a close acquaintance of his told Denver7 earlier this week that Ramirez Valiente is an alcoholic and abuser. He pleaded guilty to a 2017 charge of DUI and had his license revoked, and on Aug. 1 – a day before the crash that killed Buchanan – his probation for the DUI was extended because he had not completed community service or alcohol therapy, as required.
“He should have been arrested after the crash,” the acquaintance said. “He just had a DUI, and he’s driving with no license, and he killed somebody, like you shouldn’t walk away from that.”
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