Ohio Senator Demands Apology After Illegal Immigrant Driver Kills Man

Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio is pressing Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont for answers after an illegal immigrant received a license there and then killed an Ohio man in a crash.

"My office has learned that an illegal alien granted a drivers license by the state of Connecticut killed a 29 year old Ohioan in a reckless driving accident," Moreno stated on X Tuesday night. "While one death alone is an inexcusable tragedy, Connecticut has granted over 60,000 such licenses to illegal aliens, putting countless Americans at risk on the roads. This insanity has to stop."

Moreno demanded Lamont apologize immediately for his state's role and account exactly how many undocumented people received licenses there. He also asked if they used those permits to vote in U.S. elections.

Washington Guillermo Naula-Ochoa, 34, was behind the wheel of a 2024 Ram 3500 on Aug. 29 traveling westbound in Fulton County, Ohio. The Ohio State Highway Patrol says he allegedly failed to yield at a stop sign and pulled into the intersection of State Route 66.

His truck struck a 1993 GMC Suburban driven by Austin J. Karr Grimes, 29, from Fayette, Ohio. Grimes lost control, went partially off the roadway, and overturned. He suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Two passengers in Naula-Ochoa's truck were uninjured, while two people in Grimes' vehicle suffered minor injuries. Naula-Ochoa faced charges for vehicular manslaughter and failing to yield at a stop sign.

Records from the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio show an immigration detainer lodged against him by federal authorities. The booking record also lists Naula-Ochoa as homeless. He is an Ecuadoran national.

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that lodging arrest detainers is the safest way to remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets. Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. Their message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you.

Moreno's X post included a letter to Lamont linking him to Connecticut's program that allows illegal immigrants to get licenses on the road.

"Despite his lack of legal status, Connecticut issued him a driver's license," Moreno wrote in the letter. "Horrifyingly, Connecticut not only permits illegal aliens to receive a driver's license, but encourages it, all while Americans pay the ultimate price."

The letter criticized Lamont's drive-only license program which lets certain individuals who cannot establish legal presence or provide a Social Security number obtain a license for driving purposes. You should be ashamed of this policy and its dangerous consequences, Moreno wrote to Lamont. Yet your support for illegal aliens knows no bounds.

Moreno also attacked Lamont's 2024 proposal to remove the drive-only marking from licenses. He argued that change would make them difficult to distinguish from other non-REAL ID licenses.

Lamont's office stated at the time that shifting license rules was meant to shield Connecticut residents from discrimination in other states. That explanation sits heavy against recent events, as federal officials now argue state-issued licenses make it harder to identify people living here illegally. The Justice Department sued New York in 2025 over its "Green Light Law," which lets undocumented immigrants get driver's licenses while blocking the state from sharing DMV data with immigration authorities. The Trump administration has also broadened ICE enforcement against criminal illegal immigrants, insisting local arrests should trigger federal action.

Moreno sent a direct message to Lamont asking for hard numbers. He wanted to know how many drive-only licenses went to people unlawfully present, how many recipients committed crimes, how many registered or voted, and exactly how much the program cost taxpayers. Moreno wrote, "I strongly suggest that you consider joining the vast majority of states that have adopted this common-sense requirement before another American citizen becomes the victim of vehicular manslaughter or is gravely injured by an illegal alien."

Tragedy struck when Austin J. Karr Grimes died in a motor vehicle accident. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Lamont said his "heart goes out to the family and friends of Austin J. Karr Grimes, and to all families who lose a loved one to a motor vehicle accident." He added that drivers must be held accountable for breaking traffic laws, especially when those violations cause tragic loss of life. Lamont defended Connecticut's stance by noting that states including Connecticut offer drive-only licenses to undocumented residents to help ensure all drivers are trained, tested, and know the rules of the road. "This reduces hit-and-run accidents and brings more drivers into the insurance system who might otherwise be driving uninsured," he said. He noted undocumented residents in many states already need to drive for work, school, and daily life, adding it's safer for everyone when that driving happens within a regulated system.

Moreno responded on X on Thursday with sharp criticism. "The answer to the presence of illegal aliens is NOT to 'train them' and allow them on our roads to wreak havoc," he wrote. "The answer is to DEPORT them! Of course, Democrat politicians know this, but need a crop of dependent and obedient voters to keep them in power."

Mehek Cooke, a GOP strategist and attorney in Ohio, told Fox News Digital that what especially infuriates her is how Connecticut Democrats congratulate themselves for being compassionate while an Ohio family grieves. "Connecticut made the policy choice, but Americans hundreds of miles away paid the price," Cooke said. She argued there is nothing compassionate about a policy that puts the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of the lives and safety of American citizens. The question of illegal immigrants driving on American roads has become a Trump administration priority, with federal officials insisting state-issued licenses can make it harder to locate people in the country illegally.