NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The continuing investigation into the October 5th fatal hit and run crash on Nolensville Pike that claimed the life of 10-year-old Emily Sanchez-Ramirez has led to an arrest.
Metro Police arrested 29-year-old Orlin Argueta-Zuniga on Wednesday night. He is the nephew of 39-year-old Walter Daneris Zuniga who was identified as the driver responsible for the crash. Argueta-Zuniga was arrested for assisting him in crossing the U.S. border.
Sanchez-Ramirez and her mother were hit by a red Nissan Sentra while they rode together on a scooter in the bike lane.
Argueta-Zuniga voluntarily met with Traffic Division fatal crash investigators today and admitted to his involvement in facilitating his uncle’s abscission. He said Zuniga hid the Sentra involved in the crash at the home they shared on Radnor Street.
Zuniga then went to his job and had his final check made out to his nephew, who drove Zuniga to Atlanta, cashed the check and purchased a bus ticket to Texas for him so he could cross the border into Mexico and continue to Honduras.
Argueta-Zuniga was charged with accessory after the fact and false reporting to obstruct or hinder. He is currently jailed on $7,500 bond.
Efforts are continuing to locate Zuniga and have him returned to the U.S.
Sanchez-Ramirez’s mother, 28-year-old Laura Ramirez-Gonzalez, remains hospitalized in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
