A special education teacher in Savannah, Georgia, was killed Monday morning after a driver fleeing a traffic stop initiated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ran a red light and struck her vehicle, according to police and federal officials. The driver, identified as 38-year-old Guatemalan national Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, faces vehicular homicide and related traffic charges.
ICE agents attempted to pull over Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, 38, on Monday in Savannah, Georgia, and he initially stopped before fleeing, authorities said. Investigators say Vasquez-Lopez made a U-turn, ran a red light and collided with a vehicle driven by Dr. Linda Davis, a special education teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School.
Police and local reports said the crash happened in the morning near the school. Davis was taken from the scene by emergency personnel and was pronounced dead shortly afterward, according to reporting from WABE/The Current and other outlets.
Vasquez-Lopez suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken into custody, authorities said. Chatham County police charged him with first-degree vehicular homicide and several traffic offenses, including reckless driving and driving without a valid license.
The Department of Homeland Security said Vasquez-Lopez is a Guatemalan national who entered the United States unlawfully at an unknown time and was under a final order of removal in 2024.
In a statement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the death “an absolute tragedy” and blamed political and media rhetoric for encouraging people in the country illegally to resist arrest. She warned that fleeing or resisting federal law enforcement is dangerous for officers and the public.
Herman W. Hesse K-8 School and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System mourned Davis’ death, describing her as a beloved member of the school community. The school said it would offer counseling and support for students and staff.
The crash occurred on Presidents Day, when students were not in class, and school staff were holding a work or planning day, according to local reporting.
