Linda Davis was killed Monday when a driver accused of fleeing federal immigration officers crashed near her school on the edge of Savannah as she was headed to work, school officials and authorities said. The crash occurred less than a half-mile from Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, according to school system officials, with students out for Presidents Day but teachers reporting.
Authorities said Oscar Vasquez Lopez, the driver accused of causing the crash just outside Savannah, remained jailed Tuesday on charges including vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving without a valid license. ICE said Lopez is in the U.S. illegally, and an ICE spokesperson said officers were looking for him to enforce an immigration judge’s 2024 deportation order.
ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said officers used sirens and blue lights to initiate a traffic stop, but Lopez pulled over before driving away when officers approached. Williams told reporters that she would not characterize the situation as a chase, saying, “Chased? I wouldn’t say that. They followed him until he crashed.” She said she did not know how far Lopez fled before the crash.
Police said preliminary findings suggest the pursuit was relatively short. Chatham County police spokesperson Betsy Nolen said, “According to preliminary findings, we believe the pursuit was relatively short in duration and distance,” adding that the investigation is ongoing. She did not provide additional details about the distance or length of time.
School and community officials identified the woman killed as Linda Davis, a special education teacher. Principal Alonna McMullen said Davis dedicated her career to ensuring that every child felt supported, valued, and capable of success, and that her kindness, patience, and enthusiasm created a nurturing environment for students and inspired others.
Local officials also questioned whether the federal operation that led to the traffic stop and Lopez’s flight should have escalated the situation. Chester Ellis, chairman of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, said county police were not aware of the ICE operation and were constrained by a policy that permits vehicle pursuits only when officers believe a suspect has committed or is attempting to commit a violent felony.
Ellis said if ICE had requested county assistance, local officers could have helped cut off the suspect’s escape without a pursuit that endangered other drivers. “If that had been the case yesterday, then Dr. Davis would still be alive,” Ellis said, adding, “My personal feeling is that one life lost is too many, especially when you’re taking about a precious teacher.”
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said he remained concerned about ICE activities in cities where he said federal officers were not coordinating or communicating with local authorities. Johnson, a former police officer, told reporters Tuesday that he had “always been and remain[ed] very concerned about the activities of ICE in cities, particularly where they’re not coordinating or communicating,” and he asked whether the outcome might have been different given what Lopez was wanted for.
ICE faced heightened scrutiny in recent months over officer tactics during immigration enforcement actions, including incidents that drew public attention after deadly encounters elsewhere in the U.S. In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security blamed “politicians and the media constantly demonizing ICE officers and encouraging those here illegally to resist arrest.”
A public defender representing Lopez in Chatham County said Tuesday that the driver is presumed innocent. Don Plummer, a spokesman for the Georgia Public Defender Council, said in an email, “We recognize the community’s concern and extend condolences to those harmed,” and added that “Mr. Lopez is presumed innocent. We will review the evidence and address it where it belongs — in court, not in the press.”