Arrest Made in Fatal Drunk Driving Incident

Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended an undocumented immigrant linked to a tragic accident that led to the deaths of two teenagers, Harry Helgeson, 18, and Brady Heiling, 19, in Dane County, Wisconsin.

According to reports, on July 20th, Noelia Martinez-Avila, a 30-year-old from Honduras, was involved in a driving incident. Harry died at the scene of the crash, while Brady was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries on July 25th. The two were in a relationship and had just attended their Senior Prom together before the accident.

Martinez-Avila had a history of driving offenses and, it seems, managed to evade federal immigration authorities due to the sanctuary policies in Dane County.

ICE agents took her into custody on August 13 after she was charged with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. An ICE official noted that it took law enforcement less than an hour to apprehend her following the charges.

Tricia McLaughlin from the Department of Homeland Security expressed her concerns, stating that the victims, Harry and Brady, had their futures ahead of them and might still be alive had it not been for Martinez-Avila’s actions. “You drove drunk and the wrong way on the highway and killed these two teens,” she said.

In her statement, McLaughlin mentioned that despite being in a sanctuary jurisdiction, law enforcement was quick to notify ICE, ensuring that this individual—a risk to public safety—was no longer on the streets. “These precious teens will not be forgotten, and we will fight for justice,” she added.

Currently, Martinez-Avila is held in ICE detention, with a hearing slated for September 22nd.