Nearly seven years after a vehicular homicide suspect escaped to his native Peru, he sits behind bars in suburban Philadelphia on $5 million bail. Nelio Sotomayor-Sanchez is accused of causing a head-on crash that happened just days before Christmas.
Authorities arrested Sotomayor-Sanchez, 46, earlier this year in Lima, Peru. On Tuesday, U.S. Marshals accompanied him back to the United States to face charges in the 2010 death of a Newtown Township woman.
Sheree Maillie, a 55-year-old teacher's aide, died when Sotomayor-Sanchez's Volkswagen Beetle crossed a double-yellow line while attempting to pass another vehicle along Woodburne Road in Middletown Township on Dec. 23, 2010, according to a criminal complaint. He struck Maillie's Chrysler PT Cruiser head on, authorities said. She died a short time later.
Sotomayor-Sanchez did not have a license at the time of the crash, police said.
He was taken to a nearby medical center and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Just days after leaving the hospital, Sotomayor-Sanchez moved to Tampa, Florida, authorities said.
A day after being charged in Bucks County court in February 2011, Sotomayor-Sanchez flew to Colombia and then home to Peru despite facing several charges, including homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and causing a deadly accident while driving without a license.
Court documents suggest Sotomayor-Sanchez was aware of these charges when he fled to South America, police said. He was later charged with unlawful international flight to avoid prosecution.
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On Tuesday, Judge Diane Gibbons set Sotomayor-Sanchez's bail at $5 million. He is due to go on trial on Dec. 11, according to court documents.
