Image Credit: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office & Google Maps
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
An illegal alien from Guatemala will spend just two years in prison for the death of a Hamilton County man in a 2018 hit-and-run.
Israel Martin-Alonzo pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, failure to maintain lane, and driving under the influence. He was 18 when he hit and killed Donald Rackley of Hixson as he walked down Norcross Road on July 30, 2018.
Rackley was a “pillar of the community,” according to Judge Boyd Patterson, who handled the case in Hamilton County Criminal Court. Patterson noted that Rackley was “a father, a Scout leader, and a music minister in his church.”
Law enforcement agents eventually determined that Martin-Alonzo left his job at a nearby restaurant/bar around 11:30 PM. Prosecutors say that hair and clothing that matched Rackley’s were found on the front of the defendant’s car.
At the time of the accident, Martin-Alonzo, who did not have a driver’s license or insurance, was out on bond for a previous DUI charge from two months prior.
During the sentencing hearing, Rackley’s wife Nancy Reinhart Rackley read a portion of the medical examiner’s report that detailed the extensive injuries to her husband. He suffered from extreme skull damage, a nearly severed aorta, and two broken legs.
“The charges are inadequate,” Nancy said, calling it a “travesty of justice.”
According to prosecutors, the lack of evidence in the case made it difficult for the District Attorney’s office to bring a charge of homicide, given the fact that the defendant had not been seen driving the car at the time of the accident.
Judge Patterson told Martin-Alonzo that this was a “worst case scenario – an illegal immigrant coming to the country and committing a crime that results in the death of what is indisputably a pillar to this community…but for you being here illegally, he would still be with us here today.”
Patterson continued, “You are being sentenced to serve two years in the Department of Corrections, then hopefully you will be deported. I hope I never see you again.”
Nancy Rackley remains unsatisfied with the outcome of the case, saying, “They didn’t see him drive into my husband and crush him. They didn’t see that happen, even though it was his car, he left it there, and he gets convicted on a charge of leaving there, they still can’t prove that he did it, which still boggles my mind.”
Patterson stated that Martin-Alonzo will most likely be deported back to Guatemala after he has served his two-year prison sentence.
11 Responses
I totally agree with Nancy! It’s an in adequate sentence for taking a man’s life. If this had been a citizen of the United States, he would have served many years. Why in the world do the illegals get all the breaks??
Qualified Immunity wearing a badge is the only thing better than being an illegal in Tennessee. 2016. Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Butch Reeves crashed into multiple stopped vehicles on I-24, while not on an emergency call, was witnessed as speeding by other travelers. He killed Jim Garner of Ringgold, GA who was on a motorcycle. THP was sure to note in their report that Garner did not have a helmet on and they attempted a field sobriety test on the driver of one of the other vehicles Reeves destroyed – fishing for any avenue to excuse the vehicular manslaughter. Witnesses reported Garner was in fact wearing a helmet before Reeves killed him and knocked it off his head and into the water. What were Trooper Reeves’ charges for killing a man and destroying multiple vehicles? NONE. No charges. No trial. No sentence.
Reeves struck the motorcycle from behind while not on an official call. Either the biker slammed on his brakes, something hard to do on a bike, or the cop just ran him down. At significant speed.
Cop not paying attention, probably on the phone.
Because Democraps and RINOS are Globalists and do not give a damn about American citizens.
I didn’t spend 20 years in the Marine Corps to defend and protect illegals. They even get more benefits than Veterans. I pay taxes on my retirement pay so they can get free legal services, three meals a day, a gym in the jail complex, and all the dental care they want. On top of having free childcare for their anchor babies, while a Lt in the USMC has to pay an arm and a leg for on-base Day Care. Keep voting incorrectly. There are consequences.
Some folks only learn the hard way. This travesty will end very soon.
Death sentence.
Two years is absurd. Should be Ten + Deportation at the very least. Being from Guatemala, perhaps life with the military dictatorship he was running from would be just. They will probably kill him before he hits the street.
Why was the illegal driving?
If you do not understand why your insurance rates keep going up in Tennessee, it is due to incidents like this. Illegals drive without insurance.
The illegal was out on bond after being arrested for DUI so why was he not deported at that time?! And where was he between 2018 and 2024? Was the little bastard walking around free? I’m surprised that no relative or friend of the deceased went after the low-life and shot him dead because the longer the justice system doesn’t drop the hammer on these roaming illegals the more likely it is that someone will.
As soon as this illegal SOB is released from jail and is not immediately taken into custody by ICE and deported then he must be brought to justice…….VIGILANTE JUSTICE! Someone will be watching for the date and time of his release.