Coroner confirms crash culprit's drunkenness

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BY MARISA KWIATKOWSKI
mkwiatkowski@nwitimes.com
219.662.5333 | Thursday, July 31, 2008 | (23 comment(s))

CROWN POINT | Mario Cadena's blood-alcohol concentration was more than double the legal limit when he caused a wreck at the intersection of 101st Avenue and Randolph Street that killed himself and three others, the coroner said.

Blood tests revealed Cadena had a 0.17 blood-alcohol level during the April 29 accident, Lake County Coroner David Pastrick told The Times. Indiana's legal driving limit is 0.08.

Stephen Hough, 26, of Merrillville; Amy Bartelmey, 25, of Hobart; Cadena, 30, and Garry Weiss, 53, both of Crown Point; all died of blunt force trauma with massive internal injuries as a result of the crash, Pastrick said.

Cadena was driving west in a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee about 10 p.m. when he crossed into the left lane to pass another vehicle and stayed there, according to a Merrillville police report. Still in the left lane, Cadena ran a stop sign and hit the passenger's side of a 1996 Chevrolet Blazer that Hough was driving north on Randolph Street, police said. Bartelmey was a passenger in the Blazer.

A 2003 Ford Mustang that Weiss was driving south on Randolph Street hit the front of the Blazer, police said.

Merrillville police said investigators found a beer bottle in Cadena's SUV following the accident, but the bottle might not have been Cadena's and could have found its way into the vehicle while cleanup crews were clearing the scene.

Bartelmey and Weiss were pronounced dead at the scene. Hough and Cadena were pronounced dead at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.

Cadena was driving on a suspended license obtained without a valid U.S. Social Security number, state and Lake County records show.

He was charged in 2001 with misdemeanor operating while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license, Lake Criminal Court records show. The OWI later was amended to a count of reckless driving, to which Cadena pleaded guilty, court records show.

Cadena was charged again in 2003 with misdemeanor drunken driving, OWI with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more and unsafe lane movement, Lake Criminal Court records show. The OWI and unsafe lane movement charges were dismissed by Lake County prosecutors in return for a guilty plea to operating while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more.

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What a surprise wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:56 PM:

" Gee, what a surprise, someone driving under the influence and getting arrested 3 times, with no license or legal social security number, nothing and finding out he's an illegal. That's a surprise? Huh, boot them all back and have them come here when their papers are in order and LEGAL!! "

Way to go wrote on Aug 6, 2008 10:04 AM:

" So since he's illegal, he gets away with it. If it was me, a citizen of this country, I'd still be sitting in jail. That's just how this stupid judge would do it! She needs to be prosecuted and feel the pain that these families feel everyday. Not having there loved ones here and losing them tragically all because of her Plea agreement! WAY TO GO CANTRELL! "

telly wrote on Aug 1, 2008 4:58 AM:

" The families of all victims of illegal alien drunk drivers should sue the Federal government for failure to enforce immigration law and secure the borders. It's unconscienable that a criminal alien is not deported by the court. "

KNOW THE FACTS PEOPLE wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:12 PM:

" First: Cadena was a Mexican Illegal Alien. Second: He was Beyond Drunk. Third:He was driving on a revoked license and an expired visa. What dont u people understand that he was drunk, drove, and acted stupid. Ending the lives of three people who were just trying to get home. "

ir wrote on Jul 31, 2008 7:57 PM:

" I wonder, if he had been and Asian illegal or an African illegal or even Serb or Palestian illegal would the comments about his legal status be a issue. Had it been the other way around and Cadena been the victim, would we only have pity for victims who are here legally? Ask yourself how many innocent victims, here illegally, die at the hands of others. Stick to the point, the courts drop the ball and let a drunk driver back on the streets. ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DRUNK DRIVERS, regardless of their legal status . "

Mae West wrote on Jul 31, 2008 7:46 PM:

" Lake county is a joke in a lot of areas, this is another one! "

Justin wrote on Jul 31, 2008 5:55 PM:

" Here's Lake County justice for you...c'mon people, haven't you had enough? How many more innocent people have to get unnecessarily killed before they stop handing out probation like candy? "

why a plea wrote on Jul 31, 2008 4:58 PM:

" There should have been no plea bargain whether he's an illegal or not. What exactly got saved on that plea bargain? And for who? Seems like everything gets pleaded down. "

To Wake up people wrote on Jul 31, 2008 4:20 PM:

" What does the fact that he was here illegally have to do with anything. The point is, OUR system was the one that released him with no further punishment! Had it been anyone else, the same thing would have happened. Start putting blame where the blame is due.

And secondly, who are you to judge whether this person was what you called "WORTHLESS"? What makes you any better than the next one? You may want to take a long hard look at yourself.

What a sad sad person you are! "

CP Resident wrote on Jul 31, 2008 1:29 PM:

" Way to go Judge Cantrell...All drunks hope to have their case's assigned to your court, they will get off at least two times before they kill someone on the 3rd DUI...Lake County residents need to wake up when you decide to cast your vote and put these Losers into office! I remember Cantrell before she was elected into office, she was running against Judge Trapane. I heard her myself say, "I could be drunk, and kill a bus full of kid's, and still win this election." "

matt wrote on Jul 31, 2008 1:27 PM:

" only in lake county.... the worst county in all of america. "

Re Cantrell G Davis wrote on Jul 31, 2008 12:39 PM:

" He probably was working for them at some poverty wage job from one of their Business.I once sat In Her Court sessions killing some time and it was a bad joke. Instead of making a Television show about Bonaventura's Court they should make one about Her's,I would for sure watch, Talk about a joke! Then we could have them all on the Show, McD,Pastrick,VanTil and never ending cast of Lake Counties finest. OH YEAH! "

Wake up people... wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:59 AM:

" These prosecutors should be sued for letting an illegal off the hook so many times. It is a shame that innocent people lost their lives on account of an absolutely worthless illegal. It is a shame that the government won't do anything to these illegals. "

CG wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:58 AM:

" Maybe the Lake County officials who set him free the first two times should be held accountable for 3 innocent lives. We should have a zero tolerance policy for illegals. Lake County had him, they knew he was drunk, they knew he was illegal, yet they let him go twice. This is insane. I was rear-ended a few years ago in Hammond. The guy barely spoke english and pulled the hood of his hoodie over his face when the cop asked him questions. The cop snickered when he handed him the ticket, and said "see ya later, VINCE". Face it, cops don't care, and politicians don't care. "

Cantrell released him wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:49 AM:

" The record also shows that Julie Cantrell was the judge that allowed this guy to get off. He most likely didn't have the money to go to counseling at Nancy Fromm's business and Julie figured daddy would never get a kick back by making this illegal go there. "

LAW CLERK wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:47 AM:

" I TOTALLY AGREE WITH "HOLLY". WHY WAS A PLEA AGREEMENT ALLOWED FOR THIS ILLEGAL ALIEN. WHY? BECAUSE OUR CONSTITUTION STATES THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY. ILLEGAL ALIENS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED! THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY AFTER THEIR VISA EXPIRES--WHICH IS USUALLY 6 MONTHS. THE VISA THEY GET FROM CUSTOMS COUNTS NOT THE ONE THEY GET FROM THE CONSULATE.
THERE SHOULD BE A SEPERATE PROCESS FOR HANDLING 'ILLEGAL' OFFENDERS. OUR LAWS NEED TO BE OVERHAULED, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRATION LAWS!! "

Holly wrote on Jul 31, 2008 10:38 AM:

" "First and foremost, he was an illegal and there should be no plea bargaining!" He should have been deported not let back onto our streets to continue his criminal acts. I see this all over, these illegals arrested for drunk driving w/ fake ID's and then released on bail. HELLO...they are breaking the law just walking the streets b/c they are illegals so why on earth are we letting them back on the streets. Holding them for a month until we get a group of them off the streets and then deporting them would be cheaper than the crimes they commit and the cosequences thereafter costing us taxpayers billions every year. My deepest sympathy for the true victims of this accident. "

Jack wrote on Jul 31, 2008 10:04 AM:

" Illegal immigrant and proven drunk driver. Why was he not deported in the first place? "

One question. wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:07 AM:

" OWI while illegal in 2001 and 2003. Why was he still here in 2008 for the same thing? This is just a good example of why illegals should be returned to where they came from. We have our own home grown problems here, no reason to import them too. This tragedy did not have to happen. "

illegal wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:01 AM:

" The bottom line he is here illegally!!! This only shows that the immigration laws MUST be enforeced. But, more importantly drunk driving by anyone is not acceptable. "

Not Surprised wrote on Jul 31, 2008 8:25 AM:

" Once a drunk, always a drunk! Why in the world would the system allow this jerk to be on the road again? He deserved what he got - death, but the other people who were the innocent ones did not. "

AC wrote on Jul 31, 2008 7:45 AM:

" I agree with Paul. WHY PLEA BARGAIN?????? What is wrong with our system?? People commit serious crimes and get off. And not to mention repeatedly. "

Paul wrote on Jul 31, 2008 7:09 AM:

" Why are we plea-bargining with these drunken criminals? What makes it allowable? A speedier conclusion? I think, given Cardena's track record you would think the prosecutor would hesitate to "drop" charges where drunken driving is concerned. Not doing so results in stories like todays! "

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