Congressman Van Drew Demands ICE Custody of Illegal Immigrant Charged in Crash That Seriously Injured South Jersey Police Officer

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement after a judge ordered the pretrial release of the illegal immigrant charged with drunk driving and seriously injuring Middle Township Police Officer Austin Kapurelos. The release order has since been stayed, keeping Lucio Lopez-Perez in county custody until his next court date in December. "This is absolutely outrageous," said Congressman Van Drew. "This man, who is in this country illegally, admitted to drinking throughout the day, got behind the wheel of a car, and struck a police officer so hard that he was thrown 30 feet. Austin suffered a compound fracture, a bruised lung, and multiple broken bones. He is lucky to be alive. And somehow, a judge determined that the man charged with doing this could be released back onto our streets. They are calling him low risk when his criminal history outside New Jersey has not even been fully vetted. Give me a break. "I am glad the release order has been stayed, but that is not enough. I do not want this individual back on our streets. Period. He has an active ICE detainer, and I am demanding that local authorities fully cooperate with ICE to ensure he is transferred into federal custody when his state detention ends. I want him to face justice for what happened to Austin, and I want him deported through the appropriate legal process. I am sick and tired of a system that leaves our law enforcement officers and innocent Americans paying the price. Austin, his family, and every family in South Jersey deserve better."