ICE Detains Man Accused In Fatal Christmas Eve Hit-and-Run

STONY POINT, New York – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Jorge Flores-Villalba Dec. 30 as he left a residence in Haverstraw. Flores-Villalba is accused in a hit-and-run accident that killed a 35-year old woman on Christmas Eve.

Maria Osai was struck by a car at Route 9W and Filors Lane at 9:42 p.m. Dec. 24. Stony Point police mounted an extensive search and sought the public's help finding the vehicle and operator, who was said to have left the scene headed south on 9W. Her family has started a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to care for her young children.

Flores-Villalba, 27, was arrested Dec. 25. So far he is only charged with fleeing the scene of a fatal accident.

He was released Christmas Day without bail.

On social media, some of Osai's friends and family complained because he could spend Christmas with his family while they were mourning their loss. Others said they worried that an illegal immigrant would flee Haverstraw to avoid prosecution.

A Mexican national, Flores-Villalba had been apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol in 2008 when he attempted to enter the country illegally, and returned to Mexico, ICE officials said. They did not know when Flores-Villalba re-entered the U.S.A. illegally after that.

ICE officials said they were alerted to Flores-Villalba’s arrest after his fingerprints revealed his 2008 removal.

“ICE understands people in this community are alarmed about the release of this individual after being arrested for a crime of this heart-breaking nature,” said ICE New York Field Office Director Thomas Decker. “This is exactly why ICE and local law enforcement agencies should cooperate to the utmost extent possible and not be limited on how we work together."

Flores-Villalba is expected to remain in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings; ICE will continue to work with the local law enforcement agencies regarding his upcoming court date for his criminal proceedings, Decker said.