Driver in fatal I-65 crash in Lafayette was seeking asylum from Venezuela, prosecutors say

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A 29-year-old man who allegedly rolled his vehicle about three times on Interstate 65 last week, killing a woman and sending a 3-month-old to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, is in the country seeking asylum from Venezuela, prosecutors say.

In an affidavit filed Thursday, prosecutors said Framber Monserrat-Griman was driving at a high rate of speed at the time of crash, ultimately losing control of the vehicle and causing it to roll. As a result, Monserrat-Griman’s two passengers were both ejected from the vehicle, resulting in 22-year-old Sampayo Acevedo’s death.

The 3-month-old girl and Monserrat-Griman, according to the affidavit, were taken to IU Health, where police were told the infant had collarbone injuries. After being stabilized, the baby was taken to Riley Children’s Hospital via helicopter for further treatment.

After the crash, officers on the scene could visibly see no seatbelts had been used inside the vehicle, according to the affidavit. An unsecured infant car seat had been used, but the baby had not been secured in the car seat at the time of the crash. Officers also noted that items from inside the vehicle had an odor of marijuana, the affidavit said, which Monserrat-Griman admitted to using.

A urine test performed on Monserrat-Griman at the hospital was positive for cannabinoids, the affidavit said. A blood sample submitted to Indiana State Department of Toxicology for analysis is pending.

Speaking to officers through a translator, Monserrat-Griman told police the three of them were driving to Chicago from Maryland. According to the Tippecanoe County prosecutor, Monserrat-Griman, a Venezuelan native, is not in the United States legally but was given temporary status while going through the deportation and asylum process.

After receiving treatment, police initially booked Monserrat-Griman in the Tippecanoe County Jail on preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated, operating a vehicle with a controlled substance, neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury and causing death when operating a vehicle with a controlled substance. But on Thursday, prosecutors filed a ingle formal charge against Monserrat-Griman for neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury.

Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 29-year-old driver in fatal I-65 crash was in U.S. seeking asylum