Prosecutors to ask ICE to return fatal hit-and-run suspect for court proceedings

Posted on August 16, 2019

Jose Rodriguez is now in the custody of federal ICE agents. (Bloomington Police Department photo)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – Prosecutors say they will ask immigration officials to transport a native of Honduras to McLean County for his next court appearance in connection with a fatal traffic crash.

Jose Rodriguez was scheduled to appear for a hearing in McLean County court Friday morning but remained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Wisconsin according to his attorney, Chris Gramm. Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Lawson told Judge Scott Drazewski that ICE generally needs three weeks notice to transport Rodriguez to a hearing. The next court appearance was scheduled for September 11.

Rodriguez, 27, is accused of driving a van without a license when he ran a red light at Main Street and MacArthur Avenue in Bloomington on June 22 and struck a motorcycle driven by Corey Cottrell, 39, of Normal. Cottrell died at the scene.

Rodriguez was released from McLean County custody last Saturday, two days after his bond was reduced to the $100,000 originally set, of which he had posted the required $10,035 cash. ICE agents immediately took Rodriguez into custody after his McLean County release.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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