U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against an illegal alien from Honduras charged with causing a car crash that killed two American teenagers in Dane County, Wisconsin.
Authorities say 38-year-old Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila was driving the wrong way on a highway while intoxicated on July 20 when she collided head-on with a vehicle carrying 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling. Helgeson died at the scene, and Heiling succumbed to his injuries five days later.
Martinez-Avila was taken into custody by Wisconsin law enforcement and charged with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. ICE officials confirmed the agency has issued a detainer seeking custody of the Honduran national for removal proceedings.
Dane County, where the crash occurred, is a sanctuary jurisdiction that has previously refused to comply with ICE detainer requests. Federal authorities say those policies have led to the release of individuals charged with violent crimes, including homicide.
“Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren’t for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “ICE has lodged an arrest detainer to remove this public safety threat from the U.S. Unfortunately, this sanctuary jurisdiction has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers, often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals.”
ICE officials said the agency remains committed to removing violent offenders and ensuring justice for victims, particularly in jurisdictions where state or local authorities decline cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Martinez-Avila remains in local custody pending court proceedings. ICE has stated it will pursue her removal from the United States following the outcome of the criminal case.
