Post by Scumhunter on Aug 22, 2016 9:13:54 GMT -5
Fugitive Profile as of August 22nd, 2016: (based on Harris County DA Most Wanted profile)
Alias: Sajan Timalsina
Sex: Male
Race: Indian
Date of Birth: 7/25/1984
Place of Birth: Nepal
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 140
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black
Skin Tone: Olive
Scars/Tattoos Tattoo Upper Right Shoulder
Wanted For: Intoxication Manslaughter with Vehicle (Three Counts)
Who to call if you've seen him: If you know this fugitive's whereabouts, call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (where you could be eligible for a cash reward), or contact the Harris County District Attorney’s Office at 713-755-5800.
From the Houston Chronicle:
Houston police Wednesday said they had enough evidence to arrest a now-fugitive 25-year-old foreign student charged with intoxication manslaughter in a crash that killed three Houston teens last week but chose to release him while they gathered more evidence, believing he was not a flight risk.
Sajan Timalshina, a resident of Nepal in America on a student visa, is believed to have fled the country last Friday, the same day as the accident that claimed the lives of RaShaunda Raleigh, 17, Avianca Cortez, 13, and Detrihanna Davis, 13.
"The evidence we had at the time, they believed he was a safe risk," said HPD Capt. Bill Staney. "Given what they had at the time, it could have gone either way. It turned out badly."
Raleigh's father, who was driving the sport utility vehicle struck by Timalshina's car, said he was "very disappointed."
"I want them to find him and take care of the business of how the prosecution should have went," said LaShawn Raleigh. "There was enough evidence at the scene to at least keep him."
Katty Alaniz, whose daughter Avianca died in the crash, said she was frustrated police let Timalshina go.
"Where is the justice at? Why didn't they take action on this? What kind of example are they giving to the children — all the teenagers growing up - what kind of example are they giving?" she said. "Why are all these signs up saying 'Don't drink and drive.' What are they for? Just to put them up there?"
Believed claim about beer
Officers mistakenly believed Timalshina's claim that he drank only a quarter of a beer, allowing him to evade arrest, Staney said during a press conference Wednesday.
"His story is not consistent with the chemical outcome," said Staney. "Hindsight being what it is, I absolutely would prefer that he be put in jail that night."
Authorities believe Timalshina has fled the country, en route to Nepal.
"I don't know where he is at or what he's trying to do," said Timalshina's younger brother Rakesh Timalshina. He said his brother has lived in Houston for five years, graduating in December with a degree in accounting from the University of Houston-Downtown
On the day of the fatal crash, Rakesh Timalshina said his brother called him and told him he was in an accident but did not elaborate.
"I have no idea about it," Rakesh Timalshina said. "He just said he had an accident, and I went over there and I couldn't do anything. The policeman took him, and I went back home."
Rakesh Timalshina said he went to work the next morning without talking to his brother, who was asleep on the couch. That was the last time he saw him, he said.
Rakesh Timalshina, who owns a Citgo station in Humble, said his brother occasionally dropped in there and worked for an hour or two.
Police, however, had believed that Sajan Timalshina, a Spring resident, was a part owner of the business, giving him what appeared to be a serious tie to the community.
Before being released by police, Timalshina admitted to drinking part of a beer, failed two of three sobriety tests and was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he had his blood drawn to test for intoxication.
"We would prefer, if we can, to gather our strongest evidence and file our charges once we have the strongest evidence, when we have reasonable belief that we can find him again and he wasn't going to flee," Staney said.
Above legal limit
He said officers on the scene of the early morning collision consulted with prosecutors before releasing Timalshina.
Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's office, said Timalshina had not been charged because further investigation was needed and the district attorney's office was not aware that he was a potential flight risk.
Staney said police were waiting on results from the blood tests that later showed Timalshina's blood alcohol level at the time of the wreck was between .127 and .162. The legal limit is .08.
Staney said Timalshina could have been detained on a 24-hour investigative hold but was not because it still may not have been enough time to get the tests back. Although blood tests later showed Timalshina was legally intoxicated, field sobriety tests were marginal, he said.
Timalshina was charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter on Monday. He could face 60 years in prison if convicted of all three second-degree felonies.
Was to start master's
According to investigators, Timalshina was driving a Toyota Camry north in the 6100 block of the North Sam Houston Parkway service road about 1:30 a.m. July 9 when he ran a red light at the Eastex Freeway and collided with a Ford Expedition bringing the girls and two friends home from a "teen night" at a night club on FM 1960.
At Timalshina's Humble home Wednesday a car was in the driveway, but no one answered the door and the blinds were shut.
A neighbor across the street said Timalshina moved into the home six months ago with four other young male students and had meshed well with the quiet, family-oriented neighborhood. Terry Reed said Timalshina spent most of his time studying and playing soccer in the back yard with friends and had told him he planned to start a master's degree program in September.
www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Relative-on-fugitive-in-fatal-DWI-Where-is-the-1701242.php
Thoughts? I figured with the capture of 'Hunt' DUI manslaughter fugitive Christopher Ponce, this was a good new fugitive to add to our website. In the Ponce case, John Walsh stated on air that there was no question who the bad guy is, it's not a whodunnit, it's a where is he. However, in this case, it's apparently not even a where is he, as Timalshina is pretty much believed to be Nepal, but there is no extradition treaty with the U.S., just diplomatic relations. (Nepal recently did send back American fugitive Neil Stammer, wanted on child molestation charges, however, he was an American fugitive hiding in Nepal, Timalshina is not an American and was here on a student visa).
To further compound this tragedy, there was also a 14-year old girl, Bennisha Davis, who initially survived the crash but would commit suicide by shooting herself in the chest a month later. In her suicide note, she stated that she couldn't understand why she survived but her friends had not. She also lamented that justice might never be served since Timalshina has fled the country.
In my opinion, I'm sorry but Timalshina should have never even had the chance to flee from day one. He fails not one but TWO sobriety tests, admits to drinking beer, and you let him go? This is the same county that had to gather evidence when William Greer drunkenly admitted to killing his wife, and he's also on the DA's Most Wanted list! My goodness, I've seen guys get arrested because just an ex-convict with no reason to really trust him picks him out of a police lineup.
Oh, and a guy here on a student visa is not a flight risk? When he had just caused an accident that killed three teenage girls and was drunk at the time? Puh-lease!
What also upsets me here is how much attention the Ethan Couch case got, yet how this one which is just as bad hasn't received nearly as much publicity.
All we can do is hope by some added exposure, we inspire extradition to finally happen in this case. Nepal doesn't want child molesters there, they shouldn't want alleged child KILLERS there either. (And yeah, don't give me the non-intentional crap, when you choose to drive drunk, and wind up allegedly killing someone as a result, it was intentional by the careless of your actions.)
Other relevant links:
app.dao.hctx.net/OurOffice/MostWanted/15/TIMALSHINA__SAJAN.aspx
sajha.com/sajha/html/index.cfm?threadid=84186
abc13.com/archive/8028482/
Admin Note: If you have any (news-related) updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
