U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer against Melissa Esperanza Ramirez Romero, 27, the suspect charged in a fatal head-on collision that killed an off-duty police officer and his girlfriend on July 13. Federal authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital that Ramirez, who is charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, is in the United States illegally.
Ramirez is accused of causing the crash around 2:45 a.m. on Sugar Hollow Road in Danbury, Connecticut. Police reported that a Jeep Compass collided head-on with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside, 38, and his passenger, Brittany Islami, 34, were pronounced dead at the scene. Ramirez was transported to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries.
Ramirez has been charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence, traveling unreasonably fast, and failure to drive in the proper lane. She is being held on a $500,000 bond.
Tom Homan, former acting ICE director, has criticized sanctuary city policies, arguing that they impede federal law enforcement and compromise public safety. \n
Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas clarified that Ramirez has never been registered to vote in Connecticut, dispelling online claims that she was registered. Thomas stated that an innocent U.S. citizen with a similar name was mistakenly identified online, leading to death threats against the unrelated individual. Danbury police also issued warnings about mistaken identities involving people with similar names and urged the public to verify information before sharing it.