Man flees ICE, crashes in Alexandria

Walter Alexander Soto-Rodriguez is in federal custody after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers stopped him in Alexandria on Thursday, October 29. The arrest followed a vehicle pursuit that ended with his car hitting a guardrail.

ICE agents from the Washington, D.C. Fugitive Operations Team moved to take the Salvadoran national into custody. Soto-Rodriguez attempted to drive away, clipping the corner of an ICE vehicle before hitting several parked cars.

The agency described the escape as reckless. Soto-Rodriguez drove at high speeds through civilian traffic and into oncoming lanes. He lost control of the car, which fishtailed into a guardrail. Officers pinned the disabled vehicle to stop it from moving again.

Soto-Rodriguez exited the car and ran on foot for about 20 feet. Agents caught him and placed him under arrest. No civilians or law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

Robert Guadian, director of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office, called the man a danger to Northern Virginia communities. Guadian stated that Soto-Rodriguez placed motorists at risk during the flight.

ICE identifies Soto-Rodriguez as a documented member of the MS-13 Gangsters Clique. He entered the United States without inspection near Lukeville, Arizona, in May 2016. A Department of Justice immigration judge issued a final order for his removal on May 8, 2025.

Soto-Rodriguez remains in federal custody pending removal proceedings. ICE officials noted he will receive due process under the law.