The fatal incident happened shortly before 7 a.m. on Tuesday near a gas station and convenience store in the St. Augustine area. The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was one of four people inside a vehicle that stopped at the business before all four occupants fled on foot during an encounter with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
According to Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan, the man ran across a heavily traveled roadway and into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer. The truck driver stopped immediately and attempted to help him.
The man died at the scene. Officials have not released additional details.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that federal authorities were conducting an operation in the area. The department said Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating "an incident resulting in the death of a Mexican national."
DHS did not immediately provide information about the status of the three other people who fled the vehicle.
The death follows two other fatal incidents involving encounters with federal immigration agents in the past week, including separate shootings in Texas and Maine.
“Look, is there something that could be done better? Is there any training that can be improved? Or is ICE simply doing their job, and bad things happen when people don’t comply with law enforcement officers?” Homan said.
Speaking on Fox News, Homan said officers could continue making arrests before people enter their vehicles. "This is just a temporary pause while they look at the incidents," Homan said. "When that alien leaves his home before he gets into the car, you can arrest him then."
“It’s a short pause just to make sure we are doing the right thing,” he said.