Federal immigration agents have arrested the illegal immigrant responsible for a car crash last December that killed two law enforcement officers on I-270.
Roberto Garza Palacios is a 28-year-old Guatemalan national who overstayed his visa in 2009 and has been living illegally in the United States ever since. On December 8, 2017, Garza Palacios was driving his Honda Accord southbound I-270 near Falls Road when he became blocked by traffic. He attempted to swerve into another lane to keep driving, but ended up hitting 33-year-old Sander Cohen, the deputy chief of the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, and 36-year-old Carlos Wolff, an FBI supervisory field agent, who were clearing a vehicle off the road following an earlier accident. When Garza Palacios hit the two officers, the impact sent them over the median. Neither survived. Garza Palacios remained at the scene, and first-responders concluded that neither drugs nor alcohol were to blame for the accident. He was cited on the spot for negligent driving.
At the time, media reports did not focus on Roberto Garza Palacios or his immigration status. Initial reports were limited to naming Garza Palacios and referencing the negligent driving charges. He was initially fined $280 and penalized with three points on his license for the crash.
Federal agents in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had filed a detainer request with local Montgomery County authorities back in August of 2015 when Garza Palacios had been arrested on other local charges. Montgomery County police released the man from their custody without informing ICE ahead of time.
Last week, ICE agents caught up with Garza Palacios and arrested him on charges of overstaying his visa. Agents will now likely begin the deportation process.
