Fatal auto wreck caused by illegal immigrant

The former principal of St. Gertrude's High School in Richmond, Sister Charlotte Lange, is in critical condition after a fatal car wreck Sunday in which one of her fellow nuns, Sister Denise Mosier, was killed and another, Sister Connie Ruth Lupton, was also in critical condition.

The wreck was caused by an illegal immigrant who had been convicted twice before of DUI and had his license revoked.

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

On a narrow, two-lane bridge in Prince William County, the sisters, traveling in a church-owned, 7-year-old Toyota Corolla, were struck head-on by a man now charged with his third offense of driving under the influence. He is also charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving on a revoked license.
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As recently as June 6, Carlos A. Martinelly Montano, who turned 23 last week, had appeared in a Prince William court and was convicted of driving on a revoked license and ordered to pay $582 in costs and fines. His license was suspended for 90 days.

He had been convicted of a second DUI a year earlier and, according to the News & Messenger newspaper of Manassas, served 20 days of a 363-day sentence.

Martinelly lives less than 2 miles from the monastery.

Police said Martinelly is a native of Bolivia and is an illegal immigrant who was out on bond awaiting a deportation hearing. Authorities first notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about his record last year.

Court records show Martinelly has a history of driving convictions, including two convictions for driving under the influence, most recently in April 2009.

The nuns are part of the Richmond-based Benedictine Sisters.

Sister Denise, 66, died at the scene of the accident. She was a spiritual worker with the Richmond Benedictine order, spending over 40 years teaching in elementary and high school and serving as a missionary to Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Sister Connie, 75, worked as as a part-time administrative assistant at Saint Gertrude High School in Richmond.

Sister Charlotte, 70, was principal of Saint Gertrude High School until her retirement in 2005. Since that time, she had worked with the ministerial department at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond.

Our prayers go out for Sisters Charlotte and Connie and their recovery, and to the family of Sister Denise at their time of grief. These are sad days for the church, the Benedictine/Saint Gertrude schools, and the community.