DENVER (KDVR) — The man sentenced for driving a semitrailer that crashed on U.S 285, killing one person and injuring another in June 2024, has been removed from the U.S., according to federal authorities.
Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, 47, is a citizen of Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Cruz-Mendoza in late March after he was released from serving his sentence for the crash. He had been sentenced to serve one year in jail for his role.
The Colorado State Patrol said Cruz-Mendoza was driving south on U.S. 285 on June 11, 2024, when he attempted to pass smaller vehicles on the roadway. He side-swiped five vehicles, lost his load of pipe and angle iron, and jack-knifed the semitrailer across the highway. Scott Miller, 64, was killed in the crash.
Prosecutors proved that Cruz-Mendoza was living in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant and had been previously removed. ICE claims Cruz-Mendoza has been removed or voluntarily returned to Mexico 16 times. He was removed most recently on Wednesday, according to ICE Denver.
Cruz-Mendoza immigration history shared by ICE
According to ICE, Cruz-Mendoza first entered the U.S. in 2002, and was arrested on local charges in Oregon in April of 2002. In May 2002, an immigration judge ordered that Cruz be returned to Mexico, ICE said.
ICE said it lodged a detainer with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to be notified of Cruz-Mendoza’s release from jail. The federal agency said Cruz-Mendoza was arrested by ICE on March 30 without incident and then taken to the Denver Contract Detention Facility.
The federal agency said that the current detention time for people detained for immigration violations is about 31 days, while the average length of stay for those accused of criminal offenses is about 56 days.
Additionally, NewsNation affiliate KDVR obtained court records showing that Cruz-Mendoza was previously convicted of speeding and operating without lawfully required equipment in 2022. Additionally, the truck involved in the 2024 crash had not been inspected since 2020.
An arrest affidavit for Cruz-Mendoza said that investigators observed skid-marks made by the semitruck, including some “skip skids” as the driver braked. The affidavit said that showed the truck had at least partially functional brakes. The affidavit also stated that troopers inspected the truck and found that the fifth axle brakes were “‘way’ below the minimum requirements.”
In an interview with the Colorado State Patrol, Cruz-Mendoza allegedly said he “lost his brakes” and had a driver’s license out of Mexico.