MONROVIA, Calif. – August 15, 2025 — In the early morning light of a quiet Thursday, the bustling parking lot of a Monrovia Home Depot became the epicenter of a tragedy that would ripple through Southern California’s immigrant communities. Carlos Roberto Montoya, a 52-year-old day laborer from Jutiapa, Guatemala, lost his life in a desperate bid to escape a federal immigration raid. Struck by a speeding SUV on the 210 Freeway, his death has ignited grief, outrage, and a renewed call for justice in a region already tense with fear.
The incident unfolded just before 10 a.m. at the Home Depot on 1625 Mountain Avenue, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended in a targeted operation. According to Monrovia City Manager Dylan Feik, local police received reports of ICE activity, with masked agents in tactical gear detaining day laborers in the store’s parking lot. Amid the chaos, Montoya, a familiar face among the workers seeking daily jobs, made a fateful decision. He fled on foot, crossing Evergreen Avenue and darting onto the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway near Myrtle Avenue. There, a Ford Expedition traveling at 50 to 60 mph struck him, leaving him with catastrophic injuries. Despite the swift response of Monrovia Fire & Rescue, Montoya was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The Guatemalan Consulate in Los Angeles confirmed Montoya’s identity, expressing profound sorrow. “The Consulate General of Guatemala deeply regrets this sad event and is currently in contact with the family, providing the necessary assistance,” it stated. Montoya, who lived in nearby Arcadia, leaves behind daughters and a grandson in Guatemala, with his family now grappling with the logistics of repatriating his remains. A cousin in the area and a roommate in Arcadia are among those mourning his loss, supported by community leaders working to connect them with consular services.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating the circumstances that led Montoya onto the freeway, with Officer J. Rosas urging witnesses to come forward at (626) 517-8500. The CHP noted that the SUV’s driver, Jeff Nunez, 51, of Brentwood, was not at fault, as Montoya ran unpredictably into traffic. Yet questions linger about the raid itself. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) insisted that Montoya was not being pursued by agents, stating, “We were not aware of this incident or notified by CHP until hours after operations concluded.” However, witnesses paint a different picture. A day laborer, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, recalled the panic as shouts of “La migra, corre!” (“Immigration, run!”) pierced the morning air. He recorded masked agents detaining workers, some of whom were loaded into unmarked vehicles, while others scattered in fear.
The raid, which resulted in the detention of at least 10 to 13 day laborers, has sparked fierce backlash. Immigrant rights advocates, including the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, condemned the operation as part of a broader, aggressive campaign under the Trump administration. Pablo Alvarado, the group’s co-executive director, argued that the mere presence of armed, masked agents triggers terror, regardless of whether they were directly chasing Montoya. “When you have operations of this kind, the first reaction of any human being is to run,” he said. Another worker, Mattias, described injuring himself while jumping a fence to escape, underscoring the chaos and fear that gripped the scene.
By Friday evening, the Home Depot parking lot transformed into a place of mourning and resistance. Over 300 people, joined by faith leaders and elected officials like Rep. Judy Chu, gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor Montoya. Bouquets of flowers, prayer candles, and signs reading “ICE out of L.A.” adorned a makeshift memorial near the freeway offramp. The crowd, waving Mexican flags and chanting, “When Trump says get back, we say fight back,” demanded an end to what they describe as “violent, chaotic kidnappings” by ICE. State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez called the raids a “terror campaign,” noting, “There is such incredible fear in our immigrant communities, so much so that people will run into freeway traffic out of fear when all they want is a chance to support their family.”
The tragedy has reignited debates over ICE’s tactics, particularly at Home Depot stores, which have become frequent targets due to their role as gathering points for day laborers. Advocates like Jannette de la Riva of Grupo Autodefensa expressed distrust in authorities, citing the difficulty of distinguishing ICE agents from other forces and the lasting trauma of such raids. “Some family members still can’t find their loved ones months later,” she said, highlighting the broader impact on communities. Ron Gochez of Unión del Barrio went further, accusing ICE, the Trump administration, and even Home Depot of complicity in Montoya’s death, calling for a boycott of the retailer.
Monrovia officials, caught in the crossfire, emphasized that the city had no prior notice of the raid and has received no further communication from ICE. Duarte Mayor Cesar Andres Garcia, whose city neighbors Monrovia, shared the community’s heartbreak, noting that City of Hope staff turned away immigration agents on the same day. Meanwhile, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network is providing support to Montoya’s family and other workers traumatized by the raid, including one reportedly struck by a vehicle during the operation.
As the CHP continues its investigation, the incident has cast a spotlight on the human cost of immigration enforcement. Montoya, remembered by friends as “Carlos,” was a man seeking work to provide for his family, caught in a moment of fear that ended in tragedy. His death, the second linked to ICE raids in Southern California in recent weeks, has galvanized advocates and residents alike. For now, the flowers and candles at the Monrovia Home Depot stand as a somber reminder of a life lost—and a community’s resolve to fight for change.
