A pedestrian who was fleeing ICE officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents in St. Augustine, Florida, was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer early Tuesday, authorities said. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided initial details to media outlets about the stop and the subsequent collision.
Crash as people fleeing ICE officers in St. Augustine
FHP said the fatal crash occurred shortly before 6:45 a.m. near a gas station when one person ran across a busy roadway and was struck by a semitruck. “The pedestrian was struck by the tractor-trailer in the right lane and sustained fatal injuries on scene,” the Florida Highway Patrol said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
According to DHS, the vehicle had been stopped in a gas station parking lot in St. Augustine and all four occupants fled on foot during an encounter with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DHS told Fox News Digital. DHS confirmed ICE and HSI involvement but did not provide additional operational details, the department said.
Who was involved and what officials said
FHP identified the person struck as an unidentified 28-year-old Mexican citizen and said he sustained fatal injuries at the scene. That identification and the age were provided by FHP in its initial statement, the agency added.
The tractor-trailer driver was described in law enforcement reports as a 64-year-old who stopped immediately and attempted to render aid, FHP said. The agency noted the driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators; FHP did not release the driver’s name, citing the ongoing investigation, the patrol said.
Fox News Digital reached out to ICE for comment about the stop and agents’ actions. DHS told Fox News Digital the department supplied information to media outlets about the encounter and has opened reviews tied to recent enforcement actions that preceded deadly outcomes.
Investigation and federal response
FHP is leading the traffic investigation, the agency said, and officials told reporters they will examine factors including witness statements, vehicle positions, the movements of the occupants during the stop and the actions of the truck driver. “The Florida Highway Patrol will continue to work with local and federal partners as the investigation continues,” FHP said in its media statement.
DHS confirmed to Fox News Digital that it has provided initial information about the vehicle stop and that ICE and HSI personnel were involved in the encounter. DHS also said federal components are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident as part of standard procedures when enforcement actions are linked to serious injuries or deaths.
Policy fallout: temporary pause on most vehicle stops
Hours after the St. Augustine crash, the administration at the time directed ICE to temporarily halt most vehicle stops nationwide, officials said. Federal officials framed the pause as a measure to allow agencies to review procedures and safety measures following a string of recent deadly encounters tied to enforcement activities, according to DHS statements provided to news outlets.
Agency officials described the guidance as limited to the majority of vehicle-based immigration enforcement actions while internal reviews are completed. Fox News Digital asked DHS and ICE for details about the scope and expected duration of the pause; officials said further guidance will depend on the outcome of agency reviews.
Context: similar recent incidents
DHS and media reports say the St. Augustine death is the third reported in about a week linked to encounters with federal immigration agents, though the circumstances differ by case and investigations remain ongoing. DHS identified two other recent fatal incidents: one in Texas, where officials said a man was shot and killed after agents reported he attempted to ram officers with a vehicle; and another in Maine, where a man was reported shot and killed inside a vehicle, according to DHS and local reporting shared with national outlets.
Officials and news outlets have provided varying accounts of those other incidents; authorities in each jurisdiction are handling separate criminal and administrative investigations and have not tied all cases to a single cause, DHS emphasized in its communications with reporters.
What comes next
FHP said its investigation will determine factors such as vehicle speeds, witness statements and whether any criminal charges will be recommended. Federal agencies told media that they are reviewing the incidents that prompted the temporary pause on most vehicle stops to assess policy and operational practices.
Authorities have not released the name of the man killed in St. Augustine pending next-of-kin notification, FHP said. ICE and HSI have not provided additional public details about the vehicle stop beyond the information DHS shared with media; Fox News Digital and local officials said they have requested more information from the agencies involved.
Fox News Digital reached out to DHS, ICE and HSI for comment. FHP provided the roadway and collision details in its official statement to media.
Source attribution: Reporting based on Fox News Digital reporting and statements from the Florida Highway Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security. Original reporting: Fox News – Man fleeing ICE officers in Florida is struck and killed by tractor trailer. Additional details were provided to news outlets by DHS and FHP.
