Illegal Immigrant With Fake Name Killed Deputy and Hid, Sheriff Says
TAMPA (FLV) – The Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said an illegal immigrant killed Deputy Michael Hartwick after running into him with a front loader Thursday night.
Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, a construction worker, struck Deputy Hartwick at a construction zone on I-275 in St. Petersburg while he was on duty. Molina-Salles then ran from the scene to hide from officers, according to the sheriff. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a first-degree felony.
Sheriff Gualtieri said Molina-Salles entered the country illegally in October of 2021 after previously being denied entry to the U.S. by Border Patrol and sent back.
“There is no record of him ever legally coming back into the United States and he is here illegally,” Gualtieri said.
The sheriff also arrested Elieser Aurelio Gomez-Zelaya, who had previously given deputies a fake name. Gomez-Zelaya is accused of hiding Molina-Salles’ uniform after the deputy was hit. Gomez-Zelaya was arrested on a charge of being an accessory after the fact.
Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, a construction worker, struck Deputy Hartwick at a construction zone on I-275 in St. Petersburg while he was on duty. Molina-Salles then ran from the scene to hide from officers, according to the sheriff. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a first-degree felony.
Sheriff Gualtieri said Molina-Salles entered the country illegally in October of 2021 after previously being denied entry to the U.S. by Border Patrol and sent back.
“There is no record of him ever legally coming back into the United States and he is here illegally,” Gualtieri said.
The sheriff also arrested Elieser Aurelio Gomez-Zelaya, who had previously given deputies a fake name. Gomez-Zelaya is accused of hiding Molina-Salles’ uniform after the deputy was hit. Gomez-Zelaya was arrested on a charge of being an accessory after the fact.
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