Editor's note: A correction has been made to this article. A previous version incorrectly stated that Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza had been ordered to be removed to Mexico as recently as May 29, 2024, when in fact he was ordered to be removed on May 29, 2002 by an immigration judge in Portland and ICE did not detail when he was most recently removed.
The driver of a semi truck who was arrested in connection to a fatal crash on US 285 last week was in the U.S. illegally and had a long history with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Denver7 Investigates learned.
Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, 47, was driving a semi involved in a fatal crash on US 285 near Conifer last Tuesday, June 11. Colorado State Patrol announced his arrest two days later on charges of vehicular assault and vehicular homicide.
An ICE spokesperson said Monday that it had been aware of Mendoza since an arrest in Jefferson County in April of 2002. Since then, ICE says, he has faced multiple removals and returned to Mexico at least 16 times.
Denver7 Investigates has learned Mendoza was driving for a company called Monique Trucking, LLC at the time of the crash and has reached out to the company for response to Mendoza's immigration history.
According to CSP's investigation, Mendoza was driving a semi southbound on US 285 near Conifer on Tuesday afternoon. He was hauling pipes and angle iron. Around 5 p.m., near milepost 232 south of Conifer, he allegedly drove off the edge of the road, rolling the semi onto its side and dumping the load on top of five vehicles, CSP said.
One person died at the scene and another was seriously injured, CSP said. Mendoza was not injured. The victims have not been identified as of Monday morning.
The road remained closed for more than 12 hours.
