Orange Walk Resident Faces Extradition to US for Intoxication Manslaughter Charges

Orange Walk resident, Osmar Eliasar Correa, is being extradited to the United States where he is wanted to answer to charges of intoxication manslaughter.  The 48-year-old appeared before Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola with his attorney, Bryan Neal where he learned that the court had approved the extradition proceedings.  According to Attorney Neal, his client was disappointed in today’s outcome and will be making an application to the High Court for habeas corpus. Correa has 15 days before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a warrant to surrender him to US officials.  The matter in the United States dates back to 1998 when Correa was arrested and charged with the offense in Texas on March 23.  Reports say that the vehicle he was driving collided head on with an ambulance, causing the death of a person in the ambulance and the death of a passenger in his vehicle. Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol/Division alleges that Correa was under the influence of alcohol when the incident occurred. On April, Correa was granted bail in the 18th District Court in Johnson County, Texas and was to return to court on August 10, 1998, but he did not appear.  An investigation was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the USA where it was discovered that Correa had returned to Belize. In February 2022, a warrant was issued for the arrest and the extradition proceedings had begun in November last year.