MSC News

MSC News National Headlines Sports Top Headlines CBS US News CBS Technology

Printer Friendly

Email to a Friend

Arrest made in fatal Jackson Co crash

By Brian Hagen and Greg Bebermeyer

08/23/2018

Maria Perez-Marquez/photo credit: Douglas Co Neb Dept of Corrections

(KNZA)--The Omaha, Nebraska woman charged in connection with a head-on collision last November in northern Jackson County that killed three members of a Sabetha family, is now in custody.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a statement, said late Thursday afternoon that 49-year-old Maria Perez-Marquez was arrested earlier in the day in Omaha. She was taken into custody on a Jackson County District Court warrant in connection with the fatal crash.

Morse says an extradition hearing will be held Friday in Omaha.

Perez-Marquez is charged in Jackson County District Court with three felony counts of involuntary manslaughter and two felony counts of aggravated battery. In addition, she faces a misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reports Perez-Marquez was driving a southbound sport utility vehicle on U.S. 75 north of Holton the evening of November 25 when she tried to pass another vehicle and collided head-on with a northbound mini-van driven by 42-year-old Carmen Ukele.

Ukele and two passengers in her vehicle, 11-year-old Marlee Ukele and 62-year-old Stephen Ukele, were killed in the wreck. Another passenger, Lee Ukele, was injured but survived.

Also injured were Perez-Marquez and a passenger in her vehicle, Rosalao Perez of St. Joseph.

The Ukele’s were returning home from Hutchinson after watching the Sabetha High School football team capture the state 3A championship. Carmen and Lee Ukele’s two sons, Tanner and Carson, were members of the team.

You will need to be logged in to leave a comment.

Please Login

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited.

Click here to review our Terms of Use.