Man arrested after DHS/ICE pursuit leads to fatal crash in Georgia

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A man has been taken into custody and will be charged with felony first-degree vehicular homicide after a Monday morning crash ended the life of a Savannah teacher. The car crash took place at approximately 8:41 a.m. on Whitefield Avenue and Truman Parkway, closing all lanes in both directions until 10:40 a.m. According to preliminary information from the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD), 38-year-old Oscar Vasquez Lopez was attempting to flee a traffic stop initiated by the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) when he crashed into another person's vehicle on Whitefield Avenue. In the second vehicle was Hesse K-8 School teacher Linda Davis. Vasquez and Davis were transported to a nearby hospital following the incident. Vasquez suffered from non-life-threatening injuries, but the crash claimed the life of the Savannah teacher. Officials from the CCPD have taken Vasquez into custody. He will be charged with felony first-degree vehicular homicide and several traffic charges in connection to the death of Davis. Vasquez will be booked into the Chatham County Detention Center. Authorities say CCPD was not involved in the DHS/ICE operation. "The Chatham County Police Department was also not aware of the DHS/ICE operation or pursuit until after the crash," officials said on social media. Pasa la Voz Noticias shared a video with WSAV, which showed DHS agents present at the scene of the incident. News 3 has reached out to DHS for further information and is waiting to hear back.