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Cops: Suspect cut cars’ brake lines

Steve Lynn
Vail CO, Colorado

AVON ” A man accused of cutting the brake lines on the cars of his former roommate and her boyfriend is wanted by police.

Fernando Parra-Yunez, 26, of Mexico, reportedly cut the brake lines to kill his former roommate Ninon Ettawil-Arnold and her boyfriend, Isaac Barela, according to a Avon police report.

Parra-Yunez cut the front and rear break lines on Ettawil-Arnold’s 2000 Chevy Suburban and the rear ones on Barela’s 2000 Dodge Dakota, the report says.



Barela’s brakes were not working properly while the couple were driving Oct. 24, the report says.

“It would be better that the police or immigration catch me because if they don’t, I’m going to do a lot of harm to you and him,” Parra-Yunez said in an Oct. 24 telephone message left for Ettawil-Arnold.

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The couple later found their brake lines had been cut and called police the next day, the report says.

If the Suburban with both brake lines cut had been driven, it would have been able to stop only by using the parking brake, the report says.

The night before it was reported the brakes lines were cut, Parra-Yunez crashed after driving 105 mph past a Colorado State Patrol trooper on Interstate 70. He was ticketed for driving under the influence.

His car was impounded and he and was released to someone at Eagle River Village, the report says.

“I told the police that I had drank and taken drugs and believe it or not, they let me go,” Parra-Yunez said in an Oct. 25 telephone message left for Ettawil-Arnold.

On Oct. 26, pliers with brake fluid residue were found inside Parra-Yunez’s car when police searched it, the report says.

Parra-Yunez, who is not an illegal immigrant, was living in Avon with Ettawil-Arnold until she kicked him out because he wanted a relationship with her, authorities said. He was jealous of her relationship with Barela, the report says.

Parra-Yunez was described as Hispanic, 5 feet 8 inches, 140 pounds, with a thin beard and light complexion, Avon police Chief Brian Kozak said. He has short, curly black hair cropped on the sides and brown eyes, Kozak said.

Parra-Yunez is wanted on charges of attempted first-degree assault, menacing, harassment, first-degree vehicle trespass, criminal mischief and criminal attempt to commit a felony.

Charges filed against Parra-Yunez did not include attempted murder because the car Ettawil-Arnold and Barela drove was able to stop, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said.

“We didn’t think we could prove an attempted murder with this, so it was an attempted assault,” Hurlbert said.

Staff Writer Steve Lynn can be reached at 748-2931 or slynn@vaildaily.com.


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