SANTA ANA, CA – Federal immigration authorities have issued a detainer against a 21-year-old Colombian national accused of killing one person and injuring another during a high-speed police chase through Anaheim last month. The suspect, identified as Darwin Felipe Bahamon Martinez, entered the United States illegally near Chula Vista in August 2023, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Officials with ICE’s Los Angeles Field Office said Bahamon Martinez was released into the country under federal “catch-and-release” protocols before the deadly crash. “If that hadn’t happened, the innocent 59-year-old driver he allegedly killed may still be alive today,” an ICE spokesperson said. The agency filed an immigration detainer on January 22, requesting that local authorities transfer custody once criminal proceedings conclude.
Authorities said the fatal crash occurred during a three-minute pursuit when Bahamon Martinez struck two vehicles. One victim, a 59-year-old driver, died at the scene, while an 83-year-old woman in another vehicle sustained minor injuries.
ICE urges cooperation with local officials
Bahamon Martinez remains in the Orange County Jail facing homicide charges. ICE officials warned that if California’s sanctuary policies prevent local agencies from honoring the detainer, the suspect could be released back into the community. “At-large arrests are significantly more dangerous than custody transfers,” the agency said in a statement, citing risks to officers and the public.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration has maintained statewide sanctuary laws that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. ICE leaders have repeatedly argued that such restrictions endanger residents by forcing federal agents to pursue criminal aliens in uncontrolled environments.
• ICE filed a detainer Jan. 22 against a Colombian national charged in a deadly chase
• The crash killed a 59-year-old man and injured an 83-year-old woman
• Federal officials urge California to honor immigration holds for violent offenders
ICE stated it will continue to pursue enforcement operations in California to detain individuals posing threats to public safety, including violent offenders previously released under sanctuary policies.
