An 18-year-old migrant from Honduras, Axel Flores-Cordova, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts in connection to a tragic drunk driving crash in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. The accident resulted in the deaths of two Louisiana teenagers, Rylan Oncale and Taliyah Crochet, who were dating at the time of the crash. Flores-Cordova is facing charges that include two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, drunk driving, open alcoholic container in a vehicle, driving left of center, driving without a license, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
On July 21, Flores-Cordova was allegedly driving a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Louisiana Highway 3090 when he struck a 2023 Kia Rio head-on, killing Oncale and Crochet. Both teenagers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident; however, Crochet died at the scene while Oncale was taken to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Two other passengers in the Kia Rio sustained injuries and are currently recovering at a local hospital.
Upon arriving at the scene of the crash, Louisiana State Troopers determined that Flores-Cordova was impaired and had a blood alcohol level nearly seven times over the underage legal limit. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policy in a statement, emphasizing the tragic consequences of such an approach.
The families of Oncale and Crochet are devastated by the loss of their children. Devin Dean, Crochet’s mother, expressed her anger and grief at the senseless tragedy that has taken away two bright young souls. Both teenagers had many plans, goals, and dreams for their future together.
Flores-Cordova is currently being held at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has placed a detainer on him, requesting custody if he is released from jail at any point in time. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of enforcing stricter immigration policies to protect the lives and well-being of American citizens.