Raul Benitez Santana, who is accused of killing a Washington state trooper in a crash while driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, has had his bail reduced from $1 million to $100,000.
Raul Benitez Santana, 32, is currently being held at the Snohomish County Jail on charges of vehicular assault and vehicular homicide involving alcohol or drugs in connection to the death of 27-year-old Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher M. Gadd in March.
Santana was initially held on $1 million bail, but online jail records on Wednesday show his bail was reduced to $100,000. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Richard Okrent lowered Santana’s bail on May 15 after Santana’s defense attorneys argued for his release, the Everett Herald reported.
Gadd’s widow, however, objected to Santana’s release in a letter to the judge. "Reducing bail would not only undermine the severity of the crime but also inflict further anguish and distress upon me, our child, and the rest of our family," Cammryn Gadd wrote in the letter obtained by the Herald.
Gadd was killed just before 3 a.m. on southbound I-5 near Marysville when an SUV veered off the roadway and onto the shoulder, striking his parked patrol vehicle. The SUV was allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred.
FOX13 in Seattle previously reported it had obtained court documents alleging Santana had bloodshot eyes and admitted to police he had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel of the vehicle and driving.
Gadd was found inside his patrol car and pronounced dead at the scene after an SUV traveling at a high rate of speed struck his patrol vehicle, authorities have said.
An ICE official confirmed Santana is a citizen of Mexico, and was in the U.S. unlawfully after entering the country at an unknown date and time. ICE placed an immigration detainer on Santana following his arrest.
Santana’s defense is now worried that should he post bail, federal authorities may arrest him and deport him from the country, the Herald reported.
The decision to reduce Santana’s bail has sparked outrage among some members of the community.
"This is an outrage," said John Smith, a resident of Marysville. "This man is accused of killing a police officer, and now he’s going to be released on a reduced bail? It’s not right."
Others, however, believe that Santana should be given a fair chance to prove his innocence.
"I understand that people are angry," said Mary Jones, another Marysville resident. "But we need to remember that this man is innocent until proven guilty."
Santana is scheduled to appear in court again on June 5.
