Illegal immigrant dies in crash on Virginia highway while fleeing ICE

An illegal immigrant was killed by a truck on a Virginia highway while fleeing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Jose Castro-Rivera, a 24-year-old from Honduras, was hit by a pickup truck on Interstate 264 eastbound at the Military Highway interchange in Norfolk on Thursday, and was declared dead at the scene, according to Virginia State Police, the Washington Post reported.

ICE agents carried out a vehicle stop as “part of a targeted, intelligence-based immigration enforcement operation,” the Department of Homeland Security said, adding that the federal officers started detaining the occupants of the car after determining they were in the U.S. illegally. Castro-Rivera “resisted heavily and fled the scene onto a busy highway,” where he was hit by a passing vehicle, according to DHS.

An ICE agent gave Castro-Rivera CPR, but he died at the scene, the department added.

“The officer then informed the three detained aliens that their friend had deceased. He then grieved and prayed with them,” DHS said.

Virginia State Police said they had not been involved in the ICE pursuit of the car but were investigating the crash.