The Ukrainian student involved in a deadly Wisconsin Dells accident June 29 was transferred to a federal immigration detention facility Thursday, where he will be processed for deportation, immigration officials said Friday, according to Wisconsin Events.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials removed Andrii Pomaz, 19, from Columbia County Jail and placed him in federal custody in Dallas.
Andrii Pomaz was held in jail after the June 29 accident on tentative charges of homicide by the intoxicated use of a vehicle and two counts of injury by the intoxicated use of a vehicle. Those tentative charges never materialized into a concrete case and state officials were preparing to release Pomaz from custody when ICE officials stepped in.
Columbia County Assistant District Attorney Troy Cross said charges were not filed in the case because he did not have enough information from the investigation to go forward.
ICE Central Region Director of Communications Carl Rusnok said Pomaz was prepared for deportation, but immigration officials would work with the district attorney`s office if charges were filed prior to deportation.
"We are always willing to work with the DA`s office on these cases," Rusnok said. "However, we cannot hold people indefinitely while waiting for charges to be filed."
Pomaz said the basis for Pomaz`s deportation had nothing to do with the deadly accident, but could not disclose what evidence would be used to support his deportation.
Pomaz is believed to have been the driver of a car with four passengers in it when the wreck occurred on South Bowman Road at about 4 a.m.
First-responders found two passengers with severe injuries pinned beneath the overturned car. Olga Ivanenko, 19, died as a result.
The other woman found beneath the vehicle, Mariya Patsera, 19, was taken to St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo and later transported by helicopter to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. The hospital upgraded her condition from fair to good Friday.
Two other passengers and the driver suffered minor injuries. All of the vehicle`s five occupants were Ukrainian exchange students working in the Wisconsin Dells area.
