A federal immigration pursuit in Savannah has ended in tragedy and sparked renewed scrutiny of federal chase policies after a beloved special-education teacher was killed in a crash while simply driving to work.
Authorities say Dr. Linda Davis died Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, morning when a driver fleeing agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ran a red light and slammed into her vehicle near Whitefield Avenue and Truman Parkway — just outside the school where she worked with special-needs students.
Police identified the fleeing driver as Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, who now faces charges related to the collision.
Teacher Killed on Way to Work
Investigators say Davis had no involvement in the pursuit and was on her routine commute to school when the crash occurred.
Community members and local leaders described her as a dedicated educator whose work focused on helping children with special needs.
Her death has intensified debate over whether the pursuit — which took place in a neighborhood and school zone — should have been initiated at all.
Federal Policies Under Scrutiny
ICE operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose most recently public emergency driving handbook, dated 2012, outlines rules for vehicle pursuits.
The guidance requires federal officers to notify supervisors and dispatch when initiating a pursuit but does not require them to alert local police beforehand.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson sharply criticized the lack of coordination.
“It appears that federal agencies either don’t care or don’t have a propensity to care about the local community,” Johnson said, adding that neither city police nor county agencies were notified before the chase began.
Questions About the Level of Threat
The federal handbook distinguishes between low-risk and high-risk pursuits, with officers expected to reassess conditions continuously and terminate chases if risks to public safety become too great.
Johnson questioned whether the suspect posed a level of threat that justified the pursuit.
“I’m very interested in whether this person was guilty of killing somebody or was he just here illegally,” he said.
Records reviewed by local media showed no prior criminal history for Vasquez-Lopez in South Carolina or Chatham County outside charges connected to the crash.
Local Rules Are Far Stricter
Local law-enforcement agencies in Savannah impose tighter restrictions on vehicle pursuits.
Both city and county police typically allow chases only when officers believe a suspect has committed a violent felony. They also require marked patrol vehicles.
Federal agents, however, are permitted to conduct pursuits using unmarked vehicles equipped with lights and sirens — a distinction Johnson said can create confusion and danger.
“You basically have a car going, and you have an unmarked car following, and this dangerous type of thing happens,” he said.
School District Policies Ban Pursuits
Policies within the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools prohibit school police from engaging in vehicle pursuits, roadblocks, or forcible stopping techniques due to safety concerns.
Calls for Accountability
As the community mourns Davis, questions remain about whether federal policies — and the lack of coordination with local authorities — contributed to a preventable tragedy.
Local officials say they are still awaiting answers from federal agencies about whether updated pursuit guidelines exist.
