On Monday, February 16, 2026, a beloved teacher at Hesse K-8 School in Savannah was killed in a tragic crash near the school campus, an incident that occurred when a man fleeing from federal immigration officers collided with her vehicle.
The victim has been identified by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System as Dr. Linda Davis, an autism paraprofessional and teacher at the school who had been a member of the district’s staff since September, previously teaching at Brock Elementary School from 2022 to 2025.
The collision occurred just after 7:00 a.m. on Whitefield Avenue at the intersection with Truman Parkway, near the Hesse K-8 campus, on a day when students were not in classes due to the Presidents Day holiday but teachers were participating in a planning day.
According to the Chatham County Police Department, officers responded to the crash at approximately 7:45 a.m. and arrived to find a three-vehicle collision with at least one person trapped inside a vehicle. Savannah Fire Department personnel worked to extricate the individual while Emergency Medical Services performed CPR at the scene.
Davis was transported to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries. The driver of the other vehicle, identified as 38-year-old Oscar Vasquez Lopez, was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Chatham County Police Department’s preliminary investigation revealed that Lopez was fleeing from federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the time of the crash. According to Homeland Security officials, agents were conducting an operation in the area and attempted to pull Lopez over, at which point he initially complied but then fled, making a reckless U-turn and running a red light before the fatal collision.
Lopez has been arrested by Chatham County Police and charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, driving without a valid license, and failure to obey a traffic control device. He is expected to be booked into the Chatham County Detention Center. Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed that Lopez, a Guatemalan national, was in the country illegally and had received a final order of removal by a federal judge in 2024.
The Hesse K-8 School community has been deeply affected by the loss of Dr. Davis, described by Principal Alonna McMullen as “a beloved member of our school family.” In a message to parents, Principal McMullen announced that the school has implemented a support plan to help students and staff cope with the tragedy, with district counseling personnel available throughout the week for those who need special attention and support. The school encourages families to maintain normal routines while providing space for open expression of feelings, and those with questions or concerns may contact the school at 912-395-6440.