New York, NY – Immigration authorities have lodged a detainer against 38-year-old Honduran national Jose Edwin Cruz Gomez, who is accused of killing a 16-year-old girl and injuring her mother in New York City after she rejected his advances, ICE announced.
Cruz, who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested Sept. 13 by NYPD on charges including murder, attempted murder, assault, and vehicular manslaughter. Investigators said he deliberately struck the teenager, her mother, and her stepfather with his vehicle.
The teen died at the scene, while her mother was injured.
ICE New York City filed the detainer with the Department of Corrections on Sept. 15, requesting custody if Cruz is released. Officials said Cruz has a long history of immigration violations and criminal arrests dating back nearly two decades.
Cruz first entered the U.S. illegally in 2004 near Nogales, Arizona. An immigration judge ordered his removal in 2005, and after an appeal was dismissed, the order was reinstated. ICE officers detained him in 2013 following a DUI arrest but later released him into an Alternatives to Detention Program. He absconded and could not be located.
Since then, Cruz accumulated multiple arrests, including for DUI-related offenses and possession of a forged instrument. Each time, ICE said, he was released before a detainer could be enforced or federal priorities for immigration enforcement blocked action.
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“Another young family is dealing with an unimaginable and all-too-preventable tragedy,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “These violent offenders will face the full force of the law and then be expeditiously removed from the U.S.”
Key Points
- ICE filed a detainer against Jose Edwin Cruz Gomez, 38, after his NYPD arrest for a fatal vehicular attack.
- Cruz allegedly mowed down a 16-year-old girl and her family after she rejected his advances.
- He has a long history of illegal reentry, prior deportation orders, and arrests for DUI and other crimes.
A rejected advance turned deadly, and now federal authorities are moving to ensure Cruz faces removal.