A pre-dawn immigration stop in St. Augustine turned deadly Tuesday when a 28-year-old man running from federal agents was hit and killed by a tractor-trailer, authorities said. The group he was traveling with had pulled into a gas station before sunrise, and several people took off on foot. Investigators later shut down lanes on a nearby highway while they worked the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan told reporters the vehicle had pulled into a gas station parking lot shortly before 7 a.m., where agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations were involved in an encounter that triggered the occupants to flee, according to The Associated Press. Bryan said one person ran across a busy road into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer and was killed in the collision.
Where It Happened
Local reports place the crash at about 6:42 a.m. near State Road 16 and Green Acres Road, along the commercial strip by the St. Augustine Outlets, where deputies diverted traffic as investigators documented the scene, Action News Jax reported. Florida Highway Patrol and the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office are listed as the investigating agencies.
Driver Stopped and Tried to Help
Officials say the tractor-trailer driver stopped immediately and attempted to render aid, and a photo released by local authorities showed a commercial truck blocking lanes near the crash site, the Miami Herald reported. The Herald also noted that Florida Highway Patrol said it was not part of the immigration enforcement operation that prompted people to run; FHP is handling the crash investigation.
Bigger Picture
The death is the latest in a string of fatal incidents tied to immigration enforcement. The Associated Press reported it was the third death in roughly a week involving encounters with ICE agents. Coverage of the policy fallout notes that federal officials have temporarily suspended certain vehicle stops amid scrutiny of recent fatal encounters, developments that KSL said were reported by Reuters.
Investigation and Next Steps
Florida Highway Patrol said it is continuing its investigation and that the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene, Action News Jax reported. Local outlets also noted that neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately returned requests for comment about the operation or the collision. Local10 archived the initial agency statements.
Authorities have not released the victim's name or immigration status, citing family notification and ongoing investigative work. FHP said it will release additional information as it becomes available. The crash has renewed scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics and safety procedures, and officials at several levels say reviews of existing protocols are underway.
