Full Breakdown
Mexican Tourist Killed After Fleeing ICE Agents in Florida
7/22/2026, 11:35:22 PM
Fatal Incident on State Road 16
On July 14, Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán, a 28-year-old Mexican national, ran from ICE and HSI agents at a Wawa gas station in St. Augustine, Florida. While crossing State Road 16 he was struck by a tractor-trailer and died at the scene. Florida Highway Patrol and HSI opened a joint investigation; officials have not released details about the agents’ actions or the identities of the three other occupants who fled.
Recent Pattern of ICE-Related Fatalities
Coronilla Durán’s death follows two other fatal incidents involving ICE agents that week: the shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 7 and the shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine on July 13. CBS News notes the July 14 incident is at least the 10th death linked to ICE encounters since President Trump’s mass-deportation campaign began last year.
Timeline of Events
- July 7 – ICE officer shoots Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston.
- July 13 – ICE officer shoots Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine.
- July 14 – Coronilla Durán flees ICE/HSI agents, is hit by a tractor-trailer and dies.
Key Figures
- Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán – 28-year-old Mexican tourist, father of two young children.
- Isaret Jeffers – Founder of Colectivo Árbol, assisting the widow.
- Jessica Alamilla – Coronilla Durán’s wife, who traveled to the United States to claim his body.
- Jose Rivera – Truck driver who witnessed the chase and collision.
- Susana Guerra Vallejo – Undersecretary for assistance to migrants, Guanajuato.
- Claudia Sheinbaum – President of Mexico.
- DHS spokesperson – Provided a brief statement on the investigation.
Data & Statistics
- Coronilla Durán had been in the United States for three weeks, first staying in Georgia before traveling to Florida’s east coast.
- He was on a tourist visa, according to his wife and Colectivo Árbol.
- He had purchased a return flight for the Saturday after his death.
- The incident involved a vehicle with four occupants; the three who did not run onto the road remain unaccounted for.
Official Statements & Responses
- Florida Highway Patrol confirmed it is leading the traffic-accident investigation and has closed portions of SR 16 while gathering evidence.
- Susana Guerra Vallejo said Coronilla Durán’s wife will be able to view his body at a Florida funeral home and that the remains will be flown to Orlando for transport to Mexico.
On-the-Ground Reports
Truck driver Jose Rivera described seeing unmarked blue SUVs with tinted windows at the gas station and noted the agents wore green uniforms, which he initially thought belonged to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Rivera said the man slipped on the median, fell onto the opposite lane, and the tractor-trailer could not stop in time. He recalled, “The traffic was coming pretty quick, and he just lost his footing and didn’t look where the traffic was coming,” adding the moment was “heartbreaking.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
U.S. authorities have not publicly confirmed Coronilla Durán’s identity or visa status, despite multiple Mexican and advocacy-group sources asserting he held a valid tourist visa. The trigger for the ICE/HSI operation remains undisclosed, and the whereabouts of the three other occupants are unknown.
