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ICE agents depart the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on February 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Key Takeaways

A Savannah, Georgia, community is grieving the loss of a Black woman, wife, mother of four, educator, and doctor of transformative leadership after a deadly chain-reaction crash tied to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation ended a Monday (Feb. 16) morning commute in tragedy.

Chatham County police said 38-year-old Oscar Vasquez Lopez crashed into a vehicle driven by Dr. Linda Davis, a special education teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, while he was “fleeing from federal Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) officers who were attempting to initiate a traffic stop,” according to the department’s statement posted to Facebook.

Officers responded around 7:45 a.m. to a collision on Whitefield Avenue at the Truman Parkway intersection, near the department’s Whitefield precinct. Police said the drivers of both vehicles were taken to the hospital, where Davis was pronounced dead, while Lopez had non-life-threatening injuries. Police also clarified that a second bystander vehicle was involved, but “there were no injuries and no one from that vehicle was transported for medical treatment.”

What happened during the ICE traffic stop that led to the fatal car crash

In a press release, ICE said officers were trying to apprehend Lopez, a Guatemalan man who “was issued a final order of removal by a federal judge in 2024” and “entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date and at an unknown location.” During the operation, ICE said he “initially complied but then fled the scene, making a reckless U-turn and running a red light, colliding into a civilian vehicle.”

WTOC reported that security video shows a red truck passing Hesse K-8 on Whitefield Avenue with three unmarked vehicles behind it, two with flashing lights, moments before the collision. The outlet also reported a separate video showing the U-turn referenced by authorities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TclXxOWRUao

Chatham County police said they were not part of the federal operation and were also “not aware of the DHS/ICE operation or pursuit until after the crash.” The department listed charges that include reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device, and homicide by vehicle — first degree. According to the Associated Press, Don Plummer, a spokesman for the Georgia Public Defender Council, said, “We recognize the community’s concern and extend condolences to those harmed,” adding, “Mr. Lopez is presumed innocent. We will review the evidence and address it where it belongs — in court, not in the press.”

Another death adds to growing scrutiny of ICE enforcement tactics

Davis’ death arrives amid renewed scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics. As REVOLT previously reported, ICE-involved killings in Minneapolis and California — including the deaths of Renée Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter Jr. — have sparked protests, disputed narratives and louder calls for accountability.

Locally, leaders questioned whether the outcome could have been avoided, especially given how ICE handled the stop. According to AP, Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis explained that county police operate under stricter pursuit policies, allowing vehicle chases only when a suspect is believed to have committed or is attempting to commit a violent felony. He noted that if ICE had coordinated with local authorities, county officers could have used safer methods to stop the vehicle without putting other drivers at risk. Ellis said, “If that had been the case yesterday, then Dr. Davis would still be alive,” and added, “My personal feeling is that one life lost is too many, especially when you’re talking about a precious teacher.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson told reporters, “I’ve always been and remain very concerned about the activities of ICE in cities, particularly where they’re not coordinating or communicating.” He then asked, “What this individual was wanted for, did it necessitate the end result?”

Hesse K-8 School Principal Alonna McMullen remembered Davis as someone who showed up for kids every day, telling CNN that she “dedicated her career to ensuring that every child felt supported, valued, and capable of success. Her kindness, patience, and enthusiasm created a nurturing environment for her students and inspired those around her.”