| U.S. Most Wanted in Dublin
By Mairead Carey
One of America’s most wanted men appeared in the High Court in Dublin on
Tuesday.
Frederick Russell, who is wanted by police in connection with the deaths
of three students killed in a hit and run incident, is attempting to block
his extradition to the U.S.
Russell fled Washington ahead of his trial on three counts each of Vehicular
Homicide and Vehicular Assault in October 2001.
According to police, on the night of June 4, 2001, Russell and a friend
were seen drinking at a local bar in Pullman, Washington. Russell, who was
then a junior at Washington State University, got into his car and was heading
towards Moscow, Idaho when he came upon a slower moving vehicle in front
of him.
Although he was in a no passing zone, Fred illegally passed this vehicle,
sideswiped another westbound vehicle, then struck a Cadillac carrying seven
college students. Brandon Clements, Ryan Sorensen, Stacy Morrow were killed
on impact. Matt Wagner and three other students were critically injured
but survived.
Russell was arrested but later failed to show for a mandatory court appearance
on October 26, 2001.
It is claimed that he later wrote to his parents saying that he was fleeing
to spare his family the pain “of his murders” and that he was “going to
a state that could not hurt me.”
Russell was arrested by Gardai earlier this year while working as a security
guard at a clothes shop in Dublin city center. It is understood the U.S.
Marshals Service had received a tip-off that he was living and working in
the Dublin area after his name was put on the 15 Most Wanted list.
He had been living in Celbridge in Co. Kildare with his long-term girlfriend,
Hazel McNaboe.
No date has been set for the full extradition hearing but lawyers are
confident the matter will proceed in the week before Christmas or early
in the New Year.
Russell was remanded in custody to appear in the High Court again in
three weeks.
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