Lorton, Va. –– Paul Krause’s family is trying to come to grips with his sudden death.
He died Monday after a drunken driver struck his sedan forcing it into oncoming traffic on Richmond Highway (U.S. 1) in the Ft. Belvoir area, police say.
It doesn’t make things easier to know the man charged in the fatal crash that took Paul’s life is an illegal immigrant.
“I live in San Diego and we deal with the illegal immigration thing all the time, but for me, for my family, I don’t care if you’re from Mars –– driving after you’ve been drinking, no one should do that,” said Tom Krause, his younger brother.
Police closed the same portion of U.S. 1 Thursday morning where the crash occurred.
They used laser measurement devices, measured the friction of the roadway and collected more details to help them to understand the crash, said Fairfax County police spokesman Eddie Azcarate.
On Wednesday, A U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said the man charged in the fatal crash, 33-year-old Carlos Lagos Ramos, was deported from the U.S. as an illegal alien in 2003. Authorities say he reentered the county illegally without ICE knowing.
Ramos has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Police say following the crash Ramos grabbed a 3-year-old who was passenger inside his car at the time of the crash and fled the scene. Ramos and the child, both uninjured, were picked up by police a short time later.
Krause, a retired Army Colonel, leaves behind a wife of 27-years, and three daughters ages 18, 20, and 24.
“He was all in for his family,” said Tom Krause. “I was going through his records the other night and found he saved his daughter’s homework from elementary school, and we found a bunch of medals and awards that he had never displayed or hung on the wall. He was a selfless kind of guy.”
The family is working with the Army on funeral arrangements, which are expected to be announced soon.
