Posted on 09/28/2026 3:42:37 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
A 35-year-old Guatemalan man died after crashing into a tree and his vehicle caught fire in Grand Rapids, Michigan, following an attempted traffic stop by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to local police. Grand Rapids Police said ICE agents attempted to stop the vehicle before the driver fled. Relatives identified the man as Mario David Coronado Juarez and said he had been living and working in Grand Rapids for about seven years without legal immigration status.
The crash happened around 7 a.m. Sept. 20 near Century Avenue SW and McKendrick Street SW. Police said Coronado Juarez was alone in the vehicle when it struck a tree and caught fire, killing him at the scene. Nearby residents told local media that unmarked law enforcement vehicles and officers wearing tactical gear were already at the scene before local police and firefighters arrived.
Grand Rapids Police said the department had no involvement in the events leading up to the crash and has asked Michigan State Police to assist with the investigation. Police said their ability to determine what happened before the collision has been limited by difficulties obtaining information from federal agents. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer separately directed state police to conduct an independent review of the law enforcement actions surrounding the incident. The Department of Homeland Security had not publicly provided additional details about the attempted stop.
Relatives said Coronado Juarez worked in construction and sent money to his wife and three children in Guatemala. The crash has also prompted demonstrations in Grand Rapids, where immigration advocacy groups have called for greater transparency about ICE’s actions before the collision. State and local investigators are now working to establish the timeline leading up to the fatal crash and determine whether any additional action is warranted.

Unfortunately the article does not report on the condition of the tree.
Obligatory Jerry Seinfeld pic to appear in 5... 4... 3...
I’m so sorry to hear about this. I sincerely hope they can replace that tree quickly.
The car died?
Mario David Coronado Juarez checks a lot of boxes!
* Italian
* Old Testament Hebrew
* Spain
* Mexico
But, most of all, MICHIGAN MAN!
Taking self deportation to the next level...
😢 apparently.
In a related story, “activists” are petitioning Judge Boasberg to mandate a nonprofit to reach out to every illegal trespasser and educate them on the existence, and danger, of trees.
What kind of tree?
Don’t you just hate it when those Trees jump in front of you
Give the tree the Medal of Freedom.
It appears we have a job opening in Grand Rapids.
Make Guatemala an American protectorate and watch them return. Send troops along with those who won’t return. They won’t get killed.
They need more capitalism even if it has to be forced on them.
bttt
Hopefully somebody had already filled out and mailed in his ballot.
Jorge of the Jungle!
“What kind of tree?”
Ash
Trees have a way of being a frequent point of rest for errant vehicles.
“Whiskey bottle, brand new car. Oak tree you’re in my way...”
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