Saturday, May 20, 2000
Suspect in fatal DUI returns to Mexico
Officials trying to extradite him to Butler County
By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — Jesus Padilla, who has eluded authorities since failing to show up for his March 27 trial in Butler County in a double-fatal drunk-driving case, has returned to his native Mexico.
Authorities are hoping to extradite him back to the United States to stand trial.
Within the past month, Mr. Padilla traveled from Chicago, where he was staying with relatives, to Leon, Mexico, said Don Castle, owner of Castle Bail Bonds, which had put up a $200,000 bond so Mr. Padilla could remain free before the trial.
Leon is about 200 miles northwest of Mexico City.
“He has family who are police officers in Mexico,” Mr. Castle said Friday, before a court hearing on the forfeiture of Mr. Padilla's bond. “He has an entourage of people who are protecting him.”
Peggy Shope, whose 55-year-old husband, Cecil, was one of two people killed in a Sept. 13 car crash involving Mr. Padilla, was disappointed to learn that he is in Mexico.
“I hope that he is brought back so the trial can be over and done with so we can all go forward,” said Mrs. Shope, of Anderson Township. “I hope that justice will
be served.”
On Friday, Judge H.J. Bressler of Butler County Common Pleas Court ordered Castle Bail Bonds, headquartered in Springboro, to pay $100,000 of the $200,000 bond in a week.
If Mr. Padilla is still at large in 60 days, the company must pay the court the remaining $100,000.
Mr. Padilla is charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, driving with a suspended license and driving while intoxicated. He has at least one prior drunk-driving conviction.
All of the charges stem from the Sept. 13 car crash on Tylersville Road in Union Township that resulted in the deaths of Mr. Shope and Sandra G. Shircliff, 47, of Maineville.
Judge Bressler rejected a request by Jonathan Fox, attorney for the company, who asked him to reduce the bond obligation.
But the judge said that reducing it would allow bonding companies to believe that they won't be fully accountable for making sure their clients appear in court.
“That's not the message we want to send,” Judge Bressler said.
Mr. Castle said his company has $80,000 in cash from the Padilla family and is in the process of foreclosing on two houses in Hamilton owned by Mr. Padilla's wife, Josephina Padilla, and his son, Vincente Padilla.
The company also is trying to identify the family's business assets, he said.
Mr. Padilla has businesses in the Hamilton area, including a drywall business, and operates businesses in Mexico.
“The family has a lot of money,” Mr. Castle said.
He said he's never had someone with this large a bond fail to show up for a court appearance.
“With all his relatives here, I never thought he would skip court,” Mr. Castle said.
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