Adelaide FBI fugitive: Andrea Chan Reyes to fight extradition to US despite facing a year stuck in jail
An American businesswoman wanted by the FBI over the hit-run death of a cyclist will fight extradition to the US, despite it meaning she will spend almost a year “languishing” in an Adelaide jail, a court has heard.
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An American businesswoman wanted by the FBI over the hit-run death of a cyclist will spend almost a year “languishing” in an Adelaide jail, despite being eligible for bail if she returned to California, a court has heard.
Andrea Dorothy Chan Reyes, 33, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday as the US government seeks her extradition to Los Angeles after she allegedly fled almost two years ago.
The Advertiser last month revealed how the Federal Bureau of Investigation had tracked her to Adelaide, where she was arrested on April 17.
The Filipino-born accountant is accused of fleeing America five days after allegedly mowing down father-of-four Agustin Rodriguez Jr, 46, in LA’s southeast at 7.32am on January 30 last year.
On Monday, her lawyer successfully asked a magistrate to delay her bail bid for several weeks, despite fears over her mental health and time she has spent at Adelaide Women’s Prison.
Magistrate David McLeod raised concerns about the time she would “languish” in prison despite bail being granted $US1 million ($A1.4million) by authorities in California.
Andrew Graham, defending, said she would not automatically be freed if she returned and she “objected” to her extradition, meaning a legal battle looms with the US Government.
Mr Graham told the court of two pieces of “evidence” that he argued proved she did not “flee” America and was not a flight risk.
He said she was subject to an FBI criminal check while working in Queensland in November while she also had a return flight booked for Los Angeles, which she then paid to change.
The Sunday Mail revealed at the weekend how she also applied in her own name for a 457 visa as well as registering a finance company with the corporate watchdog.
Despite having applied for bail in October, Mr Graham said the delay was so he could obtain further medical advice over his client’s fragile mental health amid extensive “publicity”.
“The change in circumstance is that my client has been on the front page of The Advertiser and then on the TV,” he said.
He dismissed Mr McLeod’s fears the delays were part of an “ulterior motive” to strengthen her bail argument.
Asked by Mr McLeod how she was doing, she quietly replied: “Still languishing in prison, your honour.” The magistrate acknowledged it was “regrettable” how long she was behind bars.
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A bespectacled Chan Reyes, who sat quietly during the hearing, then mouthed “I love you”, to her new Adelaide-born fiancé Paul Blair, 38, in the public gallery with his daughter.
Mr Blair, who was unaware of her past until Australian Federal Police raided their North Adelaide Airbnb, declined to comment outside court.
He told the Sunday Mail how he met her through their work in Brisbane before becoming engaged when they moved to South Australia earlier this year.
Mr McLeod remanded her in custody until February.
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