A Catholic nun killed in a car crash was buried at a Virginia monastery while the charged drunk driver's family attended.
The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia buried Denise Mosier, 66, on Friday morning in Bristow, Va. at the monastery where she lived. The other two nuns wounded in the crash remain in the hospital.
Carlos A. Martinelly Montano, 23, is charged with drunken driving, involuntary manslaughter and felony driving on a revoked license. Montano had two prior drunken driving convictions. He came to the U.S. with family from Bolivia in 1996, and his illegal status is now used as a point in debates for advocates of stricter immigration laws.
As Montano remained in jail, his mother, brother, sister and uncle visited the monastery. The uncle, Luis Ronald Montano, a contractor living in Virginia, said the family felt they had to visit the nuns "to be with the people that are suffering for what our son did."
"They were very nice. We went this morning," the uncle said. "They said the same thing. This was an accident and they are very unhappy with how the media and the politicians got this case."
The nuns have forgiven Montano and request prayers for him and their nuns hurt in the crash, according to their website.
Sister Glenna Smith, a spokeswoman, said sisters Charlotte Lange and Connie Ruth remain in critical condition after their surgeries on Thursday seemed to be successful.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
The funeral was closed to the public and the media.
