Illegal Alien Flees ICE, High-Speed Crash Injures None

The Twin Cities saw a chaotic scene when an individual allegedly sought to elude Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sparking a high-speed vehicle incident that damaged multiple cars and ended with a foot chase and arrest. Witnesses and officials described reckless driving, a crowd confronting federal agents, and the suspect being taken to a hospital; federal spokespeople pointed to risks to public safety and blamed policy choices that allowed the person to be in the country. The episode has become a flashpoint in the debate over enforcement and border policy, with onlookers and activists clashing over who is to blame. Below is a direct, plain account of what happened, including witness reports and official statements.

The incident unfolded in St. Paul on a winter morning when a vehicle pursued by federal officers accelerated through an intersection and collided with other cars. By all accounts, the driver tried to get away, striking multiple vehicles before coming to a stop on a patch of ice. Thankfully, witnesses reported no life-threatening injuries, but the crash could have been far worse given the apparent speed and chaotic movement through traffic.

Witnesses described a dramatic escape attempt that turned dangerous for bystanders and agents alike. One observer said the car spun out and hit two cars, and that the driver climbed out feet first and ran, jumping over a fence in an attempt to flee. Another witness noted the man appeared highly mobile and unlikely to be incapacitated based on his movement when exiting the vehicle and during the initial chase.

A crowd gathered quickly, and tempers flared. People at the scene shouted at the federal officers, while agents worked to secure the area and render aid. At least one woman whose airbag deployed went to the hospital; specifics about injuries were limited and early reports emphasized that no serious injuries had been confirmed.

The man was transported to a hospital in an ambulance covered by a sheet. A St. Paul Fire medic said the man asked to be covered for privacy. The injuries were “not serious, that’s all I can say,” the medic said. A woman whose airbag went off also went to the hospital; it was unclear whether she was injured.

Three cars were damaged. A crowd of people gathered at the scene, yelling “F*ck ICE” at over a dozen federal agents who had shown up after the crash.

Authorities say the suspect is Alexander Romero-Avila, a Honduran national who reportedly entered the United States in 2022 under circumstances that federal officials have cited as release into the country. After the crash, Romero-Avila allegedly tried to run away but was chased down and arrested by an ICE agent who pursued him on foot. Local descriptions of the suspect’s appearance varied in the immediate aftermath, but officials focused on the danger posed by his vehicle actions.

Christopher Jones was standing outside smoking a cigarette when the cars sped by.

The man’s red Toyota Prius spun out of control as he came through the intersection and hit two cars before stopping when it hit a chunk of ice, Jones and Reader said. The man in the Prius, who Reader said looked to be a man in his 20s, shimmied out of his car window feet first and fled on foot, Reader said. Witnesses said the man looked to be Arab or Latino. Jones said he also saw the man get out of his car window and watched the man run and jump over a fence.

“I would be shocked if he was even incapacitated at the amount he was moving both when he got out of the vehicle and when I saw him in the back of the vehicle,” Reader said.

The federal agent got out of his car to pursue the man, Reader said.

After the arrest, a Homeland Security official was blunt about the danger posed by the suspect’s actions and about the larger policy context. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called attention to how the man’s presence in the country followed release in 2022, and she emphasized the reckless driving and disregard for public safety that unfolded during the evasion attempt. Her statement framed the event as both a public-safety incident and an example of enforcement challenges tied to existing release policies.

“On February 11, ICE officers attempted to conduct a targeted vehicle stop of Alexander Romero-Avila, an illegal alien from Honduras RELEASED into the country by the Biden administration in 2022,” Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told the Daily Caller News Foundation. 

“In a dangerous attempt to resist arrest, this illegal alien tried to evade law enforcement and began driving recklessly and ran red lights, endangering public safety and law enforcement.”

In the hours after the arrest, public reactions split along predictable lines, with some condemning the agency and others pointing to the risks officers and civilians faced. From a law-and-order perspective, the situation highlights the consequences when individuals who should be removed remain free to move and, in this case, to endanger others. Officials called for sober assessment of how policy decisions affect public safety and law enforcement’s ability to keep communities secure.

Authorities continue to sort out the details, and the legal process will determine charges and next steps. For now, the episode stands as a vivid example of a close call that could have ended much worse, and it has reinvigorated debate over enforcement priorities and border policy among local residents and national audiences.