Illegal immigrant Yorgelis Alexandra Matos-Bravo, a 29-year-old Venezuelan national living in Chicago, has been charged with hitting and running over a preteen boy in Pennsylvania, resulting in serious injuries, according to authorities. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of Fallowfield Avenue and Third Street in Charleroi. Matos-Bravo was allegedly driving a red 2016 Chevrolet Cruze at high speed when she struck the boy, causing severe head and arm injuries. The child was initially treated at Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital before being transported to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where his condition was deemed not life-threatening. Witnesses captured video of the incident, which included the vehicle’s Indiana license plate number. Investigators used this information to trace the car through surveillance footage. While police searched the area, Matos-Bravo’s brother arrived and informed officers that she had stopped at a nearby park, where she was reportedly crying over the incident. Matos-Bravo eventually returned after contacting her siblings, who encouraged her to return to the scene. Through a translation app, she allegedly admitted to striking the child but fled due to shock and fear. Authorities discovered handprints and a significant dent on the vehicle’s hood. Matos-Bravo faces seven charges, including felony aggravated assault of a child under 13, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, careless driving, speeding, disorderly conduct, and leaving the scene of an accident. She failed to post a $25,000 cash bond and was taken into custody at Washington County jail. Her preliminary hearing is set for September 3. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Matos-Bravo illegally entered the U.S. through Texas in July 2022 under the Biden administration and later obtained a driver’s license from Illinois. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a detainer requesting her transfer to federal custody if released. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the situation, stating that the individual would not have been in the country if not for the Biden administration’s open-border policies and the issuance of a driver’s license by Illinois, a sanctuary state. ICE aims to ensure Matos-Bravo is never released back into the community. Illinois allows undocumented individuals who meet certain criteria to obtain driver’s licenses, replacing its temporary visitor program with standard licenses for noncitizens without Social Security numbers in 2024. Separately, another illegal immigrant, Flavio Alcantara Dias, a 43-year-old Brazilian national, is facing charges related to the fatal strangulation of Brianna Connolly, a 33-year-old woman in Framingham, Massachusetts. Dias, who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration despite prior arrests for DUI and aggravated assault, allegedly confessed to the killing during a 911 call. According to Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Brandt, Dias claimed he accidentally killed Connolly during an argument over sexual activity and drug use. First responders found Connolly dead at the scene, and police noted signs consistent with the account, including blood marks and a fabric-like cord around her neck. Dias is currently held without bail. Additionally, Israel Flores-Ortiz, a 19-year-old El Salvador native, was convicted of groping nine girls at Fairfax High School in Virginia and was recently transferred to ICE custody. After serving less than 140 days in jail, Flores-Ortiz was released and handed over to ICE agents, who had placed a detainer on him. An immigration judge had ordered his deportation, and he will remain in ICE custody pending removal. The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the handling of illegal immigrants within the justice system. In another case, Maria Cobon-Guzman, a 20-year-old Guatemalan illegal immigrant, is accused of killing a 9-month-old infant and seriously injuring his mother and sister in a parking lot crash in Ocean County, New Jersey. Cobon-Guzman, who was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration, allegedly struck the family while driving without a valid license. Another individual, Ariadana Lazaro-Flores, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was also arrested for allowing Cobon-Guzman to operate an unlicensed vehicle. Both individuals face ICE detainers, and officials urge local authorities to comply with removal requests.
★
Keep the news honest.
ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.
Become a Supporter
United States
