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Drunk driver deported and avoids justice, Miami-Dade Corrections silent months later

Three Miami families were once again let down by Miami-Dade Corrections after they let a man get deported without standing trial.

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It’s been two months since NBC6 exclusively reported a man accused of causing a triple fatal crash was deported to Honduras and avoided justice. 

On Tuesday, Miami-Dade state attorneys claimed they are working with the federal government to try to bring Erwin Rommel Recinos Zuniga back. 

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Paola Sabillon, her boyfriend Jason Meza, and his cousin Giselle Reyes were passengers who died from their injuries when police say Zuniga crashed into a gasoline station sign in Miami.

Zuniga, 28, was arrested and charged with 10 counts, including three DUI manslaughter and three reckless vehicular homicide charges. Police say he tested positive for THC and was driving at a speed of 126 mph when he crashed.

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Three families in Miami-Dade were robbed of justice after the man accused of killing their loved ones got deported before his trial. NBC6's Christian Colón reports

Against the victim’s families' wishes, they say Zuniga was placed on house arrest to wait for trial.

However, after two years of grieving and hoping for some justice, the victim’s families were stunned to learn immigration officials deported the alleged drunk driver to Honduras on Sept 6. 

On Tuesday, Miami-Dade corrections once again denied explaining the details of the deportation like why the department did not notify the court before he was sent back 

“They say they are still investigating. That’s literally all. That’s all they say they have not given us an ounce of hope,” said Miriam Castillo, Sabillon’s sister. 

In a September hearing and once again on Tuesday, Patricia A. Jones Cummings, an attorney representing the jail, said she is legally not allowed to share details about their investigation until March when a report is expected to be completed. 

Cummings recently claimed the department has updated its policies and procedures to “prevent this from happening again.”

Cummings also stated they retrained their house arrest staff. 

NBC6 reached out to the jail about the specific policies that had been changed, but we haven’t received a response. 

The three families are urging their local congressperson to step into the situation and help locate Zuniga in Honduras. 

“When they need our vote, we give it to them. I voted. We all voted,” said Hellen Castillo, Sabillon's mother, said in Spanish. “Are they going to push us to the side now knowing a criminal is on the run?’”

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