Special Ed Teacher Killed In Georgia By Driver Fleeing ICE, Authorities Say [View all]

Linda Davis' death has called attention to the dangers of vehicular pursuits.

By
Taiyler S. Mitchell
Feb 17, 2026, 09:36 PM EST
|Updated 7 hours ago

A special education teacher was killed in a car crash in Savannah, Ga., on Monday morning that involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security said Linda Davis, 52, died after Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, a 38-year-old man from Guatemala who ICE was trying to arrest, “fled the scene, making a reckless U-turn and running a red light, colliding into a civilian vehicle.”

Although the collision occurred near Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, students were not present as Monday was a federal holiday, the school said.

The Chatham County Police Department said Vasquez-Lopez was in custody and had been charged with reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device and homicide by vehicle -1st degree.

“However, the Chatham County Police Department was not a part of the DHS/ICE operation, attempted traffic stop, or pursuit. The Chatham County Police Department was also not aware of the DHS/ICE operation or pursuit until after the crash,” the department said.

More:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/teacher-killed-georgia-ice-pursuit_n_69950189e4b0b3532933eeea