Suspect facing 2-8 years

An illegal immigrant accused of fleeing the scene of an accident that killed senior Ashley Crouse could face two to eight years in prison. The defendant made his first appearance before a judge Wednesday after an incarceration transfer from New Castle County, Del., where he fled April 12, just one day after the accident.\nAlthough Delaware officials identified the defendant as Meliton Espinoza Praxidis, Judge E. Michael Hoff of Monroe County referred to him as Alberto DeJesus in court -- the original name used by the IU Police Department. \nBecause DeJesus does not speak English, he requires a court-appointed translator for the remainder of his trial. Hoff communicated to the defendant through a translator the possible sentence.\nThe judge also awarded the defendant with a public defender after several misunderstandings through translation. \nWhen asked if he wanted an attorney, translator Stephen Grimsley interpreted DeJesus as saying, "My family told me they already hired a lawyer, but I don't know who he is." \nHoff then told Grimsley to inform DeJesus he would not receive a public defender, to which Grimsley responded, "Well, that's just what his family told him. I can just tell him that he can accept the public defender, and if he later receives more information about this private lawyer, he can choose his own lawyer."\nIn a courtroom filled with friends and family of other alleged felons, DeJesus was accompanied only by Grimsley. He sat quietly reading the Spanish transcript of a video shown to all accused felons, advising them of their legal rights, while some of the other defendants fidgeted, rattling their tethered ankle chains. \nAfter an extended period of reviewing the transcript, Hoff asked DeJesus if he understood what he read, but when DeJesus shook his head "no," Hoff asked Grimsley, "Well, can he not read Spanish, or is it just too complicated?" \n"I don't know well," Grimsley translated from DeJesus. "I have never been in this situation before." \nHowever, DeJesus said he understood the charges he was facing. \nHoff set the defendant's premium bail at $10,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 28. \nBecause language barriers will continue to pose problems for DeJesus, Grimsley said he will more than likely be translating for the defendant for the extent of his trial. \nGrimsley said the last question DeJesus asked him before leaving the courtroom was if he could keep the Spanish video transcript for further reference. \nAccording to police reports, Crouse, junior Christopher Carlson and senior Julie Greenbaum were rounding Hawthorne to Third Street April 11 when their red Jeep was struck by a gray Honda station wagon that failed to stop at a flashing yellow traffic light. \nU.S. Marshals arrested DeJesus, the suspected driver of the station wagon, April 15 in Delaware, on class C felony charges of fleeing the scene of an accident. It took days to locate the suspect because he did not possess a legal driver's license or valid form of identification.\nUpon impact, Crouse, who was sitting in the backseat, was thrown five feet from the vehicle, having been the only passenger without a fastened seat belt. She was pronounced dead at 12:09 a.m. April 12 at Bloomington Hospital.