JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A person launched from Jefferson County’s Detention Middle on Sunday morning rapidly discovered himself again in handcuffs—this time, in federal custody.
Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, 47, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers within the foyer of the detention heart simply earlier than 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Denver7 cameras captured unique video of Cruz-Mendoza being escorted outdoors and positioned into the backseat of a automobile.
Cruz-Mendoza, a citizen of Mexico, is the driving force of a semi-truck that crashed in June 2024 on Freeway 285 simply outdoors Conifer, killing one man.
He was sentenced to roughly one 12 months in jail after pleading responsible to at least one rely of careless driving leading to dying and three counts of careless driving leading to damage.
“If we weren’t right here, this individual would have been launched again to the neighborhood of Denver,” mentioned Robert Guadian, the ICE area director.
Denver7 Investigates was the primary to report that Cruz-Mendoza was within the U.S. illegally on the time of the crash and had been ordered to be eliminated to Mexico a number of instances, in keeping with ICE.
The company experiences that Cruz-Mendoza has been faraway from america 12 instances and voluntarily returned to Mexico 4 instances since 2002.
Driver of lethal semi-truck crash on US 285 launched from jail, instantly detained by ICE
After being detained on Sunday, Cruz-Mendoza was taken to the ICE Denver Contract Detention Facility and can keep there, pending deportation.
The operation required a handful of brokers.
Guardian mentioned these kind of arrests mustn’t require as many brokers however blames the truth that native legislation enforcement businesses in Colorado don’t permit transportation of inmates to ICE custody within the jail. Sometimes, federal brokers should look ahead to an inmate outdoors or within the foyer of services.
“We would slightly be within the jail. Making a secure and safe switch of custody takes individuals off the road, takes brokers and officers off the road that… may very well be doing different issues, enforcement actions. As a substitute, we now have to attend in parking tons,” mentioned Guadian.
Earlier protection:
Semi-truck driver from lethal Freeway 285 crash in June sentenced to at least one 12 months in jail
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