ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A 28-year-old man is dead after being hit by a semi-truck in St. Johns County early Tuesday morning. We’ve learned that this all started when he ran from ICE agents at a nearby gas station.
Several people we spoke to after returning to the area say it is heartbreaking. One woman brought flowers to start a memorial, saying his life deserves to be remembered, regardless of the circumstances.
“I just wanted to do a small thing to just memorialize this person that I don’t know. He was killed very needlessly,” said Katie Mahon.
Those flowers now mark the once crash scene on State Road 16 in St. Augustine.
“I’m so, so sorry for what happened and that we weren’t able to protect him. And I hope for comfort for them and also for the driver of the truck- how horrifying for him or her, for that person as well,” Mahon said.
While unclear what that encounter is, Florida Highway Patrol says there were four people in a vehicle that ran, including the victim.
“I mean, think about it. This man feared ice more than more than he did traffic,” said Jonathan Gonzalo with the Jacksonville Immigration Rights Alliance. He says the circumstances are heartbreaking and noted recent deaths involving ICE agents across the country.
“Uh, Lorenzo, uh, who was shot in Houston or the father who was shot in Maine, you know, just if we’re talking about like just this last week alone, um, already or fearing, you know, uh, all the horrible circumstances that are happening within these, uh detention camps,” Gonzalo said.
Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash and death.
“We need to protect each other, those of us who don’t have to worry about ICE coming after us. We need to do what we can to protect our neighbors and our friends,” Mahon said.
Action News Jax reached out to HSI and ICE for more details on exactly what led up to this encounter and to ask if the victim is an illegal immigrant. We are still waiting to hear back.
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