ICE agent’s vehicle reportedly strikes man after Albany traffic stop

DOUGHERTY COUNTY, Ga. - A man was struck and pinned beneath a vehicle driven by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent after a traffic stop near Albany last week, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

What we know:

The man, identified by GSP as 28-year-old Edgar Gomez, was taken by Dougherty County EMS to Phoebe Putney Hospital for treatment. An update on his condition was not provided.

What investigators say happened

A state trooper was dispatched to the Liberty Expressway, or U.S. 19, at Exit 1 at 5:34 a.m. Sept. 17. Dougherty County police officers were already at the scene.

According to GSP’s initial investigation, ICE agents had stopped a vehicle in the area, and all its occupants ran from the scene. An ICE agent driving a 2021 Dodge Charger then struck Gomez in the grassy area between the expressway’s travel lanes and the northbound exit ramp. Gomez became pinned beneath the Charger, GSP said.

What we don't know:

The patrol has not said what led to the collision or why ICE agents stopped the vehicle. The crash remains under investigation, and troopers said they are collecting additional information and ICE body camera video for review.

Injuries and deaths during ICE confrontations

Dig deeper:

It is unclear how many people have been injured or died during encounters with ICE agents. 

Separately, the American Civil Liberties Union says at least 57 people have died in ICE custody since President Donald Trump began his second term. 

Human Rights Watch found that the rate of deaths in custody was more than twice the rate during his first term. At least 10 other people have reportedly died during encounters with ICE outside custody. Those figures describe different circumstances and do not establish the cause of each death.