Greeley mourners call for apology

Politician questioned immigration status

Joe Garner, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 20, 2006 at midnight

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The family of three Greeley children killed in a car wreck wants a public apology from a state legislator, whom they accuse of exploiting the deaths for political gain on the issue of illegal immigration.

The issue arose after state Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, e-mailed a Greeley newspaper to question the immigration status of the Bustillos family on the day the third injured child died.

"He's using this tragedy and pushing this family into the immigration debate to garner votes," said Sylvia Martinez, a Hispanic activist who is the family spokeswoman.

"What he did was reprehensible," said Martinez, chairwoman of the Greeley-based community group Latinos Unidos of Northern Colorado. "They have received support from all ethnicities, with the exception of people like him."

The grieving family e-mailed Schultheis on Wednesday, asking for the public apology. The poignant letter also stated that all the passengers involved in the Oct. 2 accident were American citizens riding in a car that had been properly licensed and insured.

Schultheis, a Republican running for the state Senate who has focused on immigration for two years, did not respond Thursday to four telephone messages and an e-mail seeking response.

But Joy Breuner, a Greeley resident who has been a vocal opponent of illegal immigration, said Schultheis was asking questions that needed to be asked.

"I don't think he has to apologize for anything he was checking - unless he wants to," Breuner said. "What would they like for him to apologize for?"

The wreck occurred when Tania Bustillos, 17, was driving her two younger brothers home from school, with her infant daughter riding along. Bustillos reportedly drove through a stop sign in rural Weld County and was hit by a pickup truck.

Her 15-year-old brother, Enrique Bustillos, died that evening. Her other brother, Miguel, 12, died the next day. And on the third day, her daughter, 3-month-old Destiny Musquiz, died. Tania Bustillos survived and was released from the hospital earlier this week.

On Oct. 4, the day the baby died, Schultheis e-mailed the Greeley Tribune, raising questions about the accident.

"Was the driver properly licensed? Was the vehicle properly registered and insured? Was this person the child of parents in the U.S. illegally? Or was she here illegally?" Schultheis wrote.

"Why is it that the investigative reports we read in the papers and see on TV do not point out the fact that these accidents and the resulting cost to taxpayers (hospitalization, etc.) are a direct result of our lax immigration policies and enforcement?" he asked.

Schultheis' e-mail was posted on the newspaper's Web site alongside other reaction to the story. The e-mail ignited a firestorm that intensified when Martinez appeared on a Spanish-language radio station, eliciting outrage from listeners.

Martinez said Thursday that the mother of the family, Grasiela Bustillos, is an American citizen, and the father, Valentin Bustillos, is a legal resident. They also are parents of a 10-year-old daughter, Marisela, who was not involved in the accident.

Last week, Schultheis was quoted as saying he regretted the timing of his questions. Blaming the Tribune for blindsiding him, the representative said he did not know that the accident had just occurred and that the baby had died the day he sent his e-mail on behalf of a constituent.

Bryant Adams, spokesman for the Colorado Republican Party, said Thursday that Schultheis continues to lament his timing.

"Immigration is an important issue to people all over Colorado that will not go away, but Representative Schultheis chose a poor time to bring it up," Adams said. "I know he's apologetic that he brought it up then."

Still, Breuner said, the accident needs more investigation and less emotion focused on it. "I'm not sure of all the facts, and I don't believe other people are either," she said.

Schultheis' e-mail continues to reverberate.

"I believe it was totally un-American and disregarded our American values," said Polly Baca, president and CEO of Denver's Latin American Research and Service Agency. "We, as Americans, have always valued life and support those in their time of need and in an emergency situation. I think he least he could do is offer an apology."

garnerj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5421

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