Investigation disputes his claim that malfunction led to fatal car crash
By SHAMINDER DULAI
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
July 19, 2010, 9:16PM
Pedro Cueva-Ferman had blamed the May crash that killed his wife on a stuck accelerator and faulty brakes.
Two months later, the 48-year-old west Houston man is in jail on a murder charge, accused of intentionally slamming his Lexus into a concrete sign and killing his wife, Palma Garcia Marlen-Beatrice.
Police have offered no motive for the death but stated in court documents that they became curious about Cueva-Ferman's account about the May 13 crash after noticing he didn't once ask about his wife's condition while talking to officers that day.
Investigators also learned that Cueva-Ferman had flights booked for himself and his toddler son to El Salvador, set to depart the day after the crash.
Cueva-Ferman told police that his 1990 Lexus sedan's accelerator pedal had become stuck and his brakes had failed as he struggled to stop the car while leaving a southwest Houston grocery parking lot.
His 30-year-old wife had run into a Fiesta grocery in the 11140 block of Fondren while Cueva-Ferman had remained in the car to play with their 3-year-old son, witnesses told police.
As soon as Marlen-Beatrice returned to the car, Cueva-Ferman sped off from the parking spot, hit and shoved another vehicle out of the way before hitting speeds up to 60 mph and going through a hedge of bushes, through the parking lot, past two police cars, and then aimed his car toward a concrete sign, according to police.
Died at the scene
Cueva-Ferman told investigators he told his wife that they were "all going to die" moments before he turned toward the concrete sign as a last ditch effort to stop the car.
Marlen-Beatrice began praying and tried to hold their son before the impact, he told officers. She died on the scene.
The husband and son were taken to an area hospital and treated for minor injuries, according to police.
The son's child seat came loose during the crash, according to police.
Child Protective Services have placed the child with relatives and are investigating the case.
Investigators and Lexus mechanics examined the car and found no evidence of malfunction or brake failure and did not believe Cueva-Ferman even tried to apply his brakes before the wreck, according to court documents.
Officers arrested Cueva-Ferman on Friday. He is being held in Harris County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
On Monday, Cueva-Ferman came out of his jail cell pushing a walker during visitation hours, but he declined to comment on the allegations or the incident.
shaminder.dulai@chron.com
No comments:
Post a Comment