ICE arrests suspect in Maryland hit-and-run
ICE says it arrested Honduran national Kevin Alexis Mendez‑Ortiz on Nov. 25 in Oxon Hill, Maryland, weeks after he allegedly crossed into oncoming traffic on Nov. 9 and fled a head‑on crash that left a passenger with life‑threatening injuries. The agency says Mendez‑Ortiz entered the U.S. illegally near Hidalgo, Texas, in Sept. 2022 and was released on recognizance; Prince George’s County police later cited him for multiple traffic and hit‑and‑run violations.
📌 Key Facts
- Crash occurred Nov. 9 in Oxon Hill, MD; ICE arrest on Nov. 25 during a targeted operation
- Victim injuries included broken vertebrae, collarbone and wrist; fractured ribs; ruptured diaphragm; collapsed lung; concussion
- ICE says the suspect entered illegally on Sept. 30, 2022 near Hidalgo, TX and was released on recognizance the same day
📊 Relevant Data
In Texas from 2012 to 2016, undocumented immigrants were arrested for violent crimes at a rate approximately half that of native-born citizens, with native-born citizens over 2 times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes relative to undocumented immigrants.
Comparing crime rates between undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and native-born citizens in Texas — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
In Texas from 2012 to 2016, undocumented immigrants had a homicide arrest rate of 1.75 per 100,000, compared to 3.27 per 100,000 for native-born citizens, making natives 1.87 times more likely to be arrested for homicide.
Comparing crime rates between undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and native-born citizens in Texas — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Following the implementation of a law in California in 2015 allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, hit-and-run crashes decreased, with data showing a reduction in such incidents as licensed undocumented drivers were less likely to flee scenes.
Hit-and-Run Crashes: Prevalence, Contributing Factors and Countermeasures — AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
In 2022, 23.7% of the population in Prince George's County, Maryland, was foreign-born, representing a significant immigrant community in the area where the crash occurred.
Prince George's County, MD | Data USA — Data USA
In Prince George's County, Maryland, the racial composition in 2022 was approximately 62% Black, 28.4% White, 1.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.6% Asian, and 20.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race, with the foreign-born population contributing to demographic diversity.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Prince George's County, Maryland — U.S. Census Bureau