Honk News – Deported twice, an undocumented individual continued to return, ultimately leading to a tragic wrong-way collision that resulted in the death of an off-duty officer in Las Vegas.
A migrant who unlawfully entered the country and fatally struck an off-duty police officer in a wrong-way collision earlier this month had faced deportation on two occasions — yet continued to return to the U.S., officials reported.
A 31-year-old Mexican man, Fernando Jimenez-Jimenez, was driving his Ford F-150 in the wrong direction on Interstate 15 on December 12. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, his vehicle collided head-on with Officer Colton Pulsipher, who was returning home after his shift.
Tragically, both Jimenez and Pulsipher were found deceased at the location.
Jimenez, 31, made two attempts to enter the US in 2019, facing deportation to Mexico on both occasions, according to reports from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to local media.
In 2020, Jimenez sought entry into the US at Brownsville, Texas. However, he did not appear for his immigration hearing the following year, resulting in the judge issuing a deportation order in his absence, according to ICE. However, at that point, he was already traveling across the nation.
Authorities discovered cannabis and alcoholic beverages during their search of Jimenez’s vehicle, as reported by KVVU. In the meantime, the toxicology report remains outstanding.
Pulsipher had been an officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department since 2017, dedicating himself to the protection and service of his community, as noted in a Facebook post following the tragic incident.
The department reported that a wife and three children survive him.
Pulsipher was honored with a final farewell on Dec. 18, accompanied by his fellow officers.
“As we honor his legacy, we remember a man who truly embodied the spirit of service. He will forever hold a special place in our hearts,” LVMPD said in a post.