A suspect in the vehicular death of an advisor to Senator Catherine Cortez Masto entered the United States illegally, the Department of Homeland Security revealed.
Elmer Rueda-Linares, 18, was arrested after a horror crash that killed the senator’s top aide, Kurt Englehart, 38, on April 6, before his immigration status came under scrutiny by officials. .
Originally from Honduras, he was found to have entered the US illegally in 2021 and was placed in an ‘ICE hold’ at the Washoe County Jail in Nevada, a statute that allows officials additional time to prepare for deportation.
With Rueda-Linares in custody, the senator’s team paid tribute to Englehart as a “beloved figure throughout the state.”
Elmer Rueda-Linares, 18, was arrested after a horrific crash that killed Kurt Englewood, senior advisor to Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, on April 6. He was found to have entered the United States illegally in 2021.
Kurt Englehart, 38, had worked for Cortez Masto since 2017 and was described as a “loving” Nevadan who was “always willing to help a constituent at a moment’s notice.”
The detention of the 18-year-old by ICE, first reported by the Reno Gazette-DiarioIt was ordered two days after the accident.
Withholding is an official request by immigration officials to hold a “removable citizen” for up to 48 hours longer than they would need to be released, in order to make preparations for their deportation.
Rueda-Linares was charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident and is being held on $100,000 bail.
The Department of Homeland Security told the New York Post who entered the country for the first time on March 12, 2021, near the port of entry in Rio Grande City, Texas, ‘without inspection by an immigration officer.’
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested him and he was later released on his own recognizance on June 22, 2021,” the statement read.
The horrific accident unfolded on April 6 around 4:30 a.m., and Rueda-Linares is alleged to have fled the scene before his arrest.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said her team was “heartbroken” by the news of Englehart’s death and said he “touched many lives.”
Englehart had previously worked for President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign and was described as a beloved and dedicated public servant.
Englehart had worked for Cortez Masto since 2017 and was named senior state advisor and director of rural outreach last March.
The Democratic senator’s office described the 38-year-old as a “well-liked” employee who was “always willing to help a constituent at a moment’s notice.”
“For the past eight years, Kurt proudly served in both my campaign and my official offices,” Cortez Masto said after news of Englehart’s death, saying his team was “heartbroken.”
“He touched a lot of lives and I know almost everyone in Northern Nevada has a great story about how Kurt helped them or made them laugh.”
Englehart had previously worked for President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign.
When asked by the Post about the suspect’s immigration status, Cortez Masto spokeswoman Lauren Wodarski said, “Senator Cortez Masto hopes that justice will be served and has confidence in local police and prosecutors.”
Cortez Masto had often pushed for immigration reform, previously introducing legislation in 2020 to fix the ‘broken immigration system’.
Rueda-Linares is due in court on Thursday.