A Georgia teacher was killed Monday when a Guatemalan driver fleeing ICE officers crashed into her vehicle near Savannah, authorities said. Oscar Vasquez Lopez, 38, was wanted for deportation and charged with vehicular homicide after the crash that killed Linda Davis, a special education teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School.

ICE officers had initiated a traffic stop using sirens and blue lights to enforce a 2024 deportation order, but Lopez fled when approached. The agency said he made a U-turn and ran a stop light before the collision. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, a former police officer, questioned whether the pursuit was necessary, asking what Davis' death says about current enforcement practices.

Local officials noted that Chatham County police have strict pursuit policies limiting chases to violent felonies. The crash occurred less than half a mile from the school, where Davis was beloved by students and colleagues. While students had Presidents Day off, teachers were reporting for work when the incident occurred. The case has intensified scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics, particularly after recent controversial incidents in Minneapolis.