ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A pedestrian was struck and killed by a semi-truck on Tuesday morning, July 14, while fleeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in St. Johns County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The incident occurred around 6:35 a.m. at the intersection of State Road 16 and Green Acres Road. Authorities state that four occupants of a vehicle fled upon encountering ICE agents and Homeland Security Investigators who had responded to a Wawa store earlier in the morning.
Details of the Fatal Crash
The FHP crash report indicates that "Vehicle 1 was traveling on SR 16 eastbound in the right lane" when the pedestrian attempted to cross from north to south. The tractor-trailer driver, identified as a 64-year-old man from Lake City, stopped immediately and attempted to assist the victim. Despite these efforts, the pedestrian, described only as a 28-year-old man with no known hometown, was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Master Sgt. Dylan Bryan of the FHP provided details regarding the sequence of events leading up to the collision. The immigration status and nationality of the victim were not released by authorities at this time. Additionally, officials did not specify the exact reason ICE agents were involved in the operation at that specific location.
Political Reactions and Broader Context
The tragedy has drawn sharp responses from local political figures and advocacy groups. State Rep. Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville), who is running for U.S. Senate, issued a statement expressing her condolences to the family of the deceased. She characterized the incident as a direct result of an "out-of-control agency terrorizing our communities." Her comments referenced recent fatal encounters involving ICE officers in Texas and Maine.
Adriana Rivera, communications director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, also weighed in on the situation. She stated that it is understandable for individuals to flee when chased by agents who have recently been involved in deadly shootings elsewhere. "When federal agents descend on communities... people run because they are afraid," Rivera said, arguing that aggressive enforcement creates conditions leading to preventable tragedies.
This incident follows a report from one day prior regarding an ICE officer killing a driver in Biddeford, Maine. Sources briefed on the matter told Reuters that ICE instructed officers later on Tuesday to suspend most vehicle stops nationwide following two fatal shootings of men six days apart in Texas and Maine. The St. Johns County crash remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather information about the circumstances surrounding the initial encounter.
