Former WNBA star Sophie Brunner\u2019s mother was killed in a head-on crash in Illinois with an illegal immigrant who had a disturbing\u00a0history of drunk driving, according to authorities.<\/p>\n
Darcy Connolly-Brunner, 61, was struck when Rolando Ico-Choc, a 30-year-old Guatemalan national, crossed over into the wrong lane in Freeport on Saturday afternoon, the Stephenson County Sheriff\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n
The migrant,\u00a0who had a hefty rap sheet including multiple prior DUIs,\u00a0was also killed in the wreck, according to officials.<\/p>\n
Darcy Connolly-Brunner was killed in a car accident over the weekend. Family Handout<\/p>\n
Sophie Brunner with her mom, Darcy Connolly-Brunner, and their family. Facebook \/ Sophie Brunner<\/p>\n
Authorities are now probing whether Ico-Choc was under the influence at the time of the double fatality.<\/p>\n
They have already said there is no indication\u00a0Connolly-Brunner \u2014 a married mom-of-four \u2014\u00a0was drunk.<\/p>\n
In the wake of the tragedy, Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) said Ico-Choc was in the US illegally and on\u00a0Homeland Security\u2019s radar.<\/p>\n
\u201cA woman who dedicated her life to her family and her community was killed in broad daylight by a man who never should have been in this country or on the road,\u201d Chesney said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Sophie Brunner with her mom, Darcy Connolly-Brunner, and their family. Facebook \/ Sophie Brunner<\/p>\n
\u201cHis criminal record includes prior charges of DUI, aggravated (felony) DUI, and battery. Additionally, it was confirmed by the US Department of Homeland Security that he was in this country illegally, having crossed the border a few years ago during the Biden administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ico-Choc\u2019s run-ins with authorities dates back to at least March 2022 when he was arrested on DUI charges, as well as driving without a valid license, WREX reported.<\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor DUI and was ordered to remain under court supervision for two years, records show.<\/p>\n
He was arrested again for a DUI in February 2023 when he was still banned from driving.<\/p>\n
Sophie Brunner played for the Phoenix Mercury. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Ico-Choc pleaded guilty again and was slapped with a court supervision order, as well as a brief 80 stint in jail.<\/p>\n
After he was arrested for domestic battery in June 2023, he was sentenced to six days in prison, court records show.<\/p>\n
Sen. Chesney blasted the state\u2019s lax immigration law \u2014 known as the TRUST Act \u2014 that prevents local cops from working with ICE to nab criminal migrants.<\/p>\n
The fatal crash happened in Freeport, Ill., on Saturday afternoon. WIFR<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the last few years, this man was shielded by systems that provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants and are more focused on allowing criminals to walk free than on protecting Illinois citizens,\u201d Chesney said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not going to sit by silently while dangerous repeat offenders who are in this country illegally are given free rein to destroy lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
State Rep.\u00a0John Cabello\u00a0also piled on, blaming Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.<\/p>\n
Connolly-Brunner was the mother of former WNBA star Sophie Brunner. Facebook \/ Sophie Brunner<\/p>\n
\u201cI hold JB Pritzker personally responsible. I hold the Democrats personally responsible,\u201d Cabello said. \u201cThis should not have happened. Period.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the local sheriff revealed he was friends with the other victim killed in the wreck.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m friends with the family, but I also have to do my job,\u201d Stovall told a press conference. \u201cI\u2019m not directing this investigation in any way. I\u2019m letting the facts speak.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was no indication that the mom of four was impaired, police said. Facebook \/ Sophie Brunner<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was a kind and giving person who cared deeply for her family and friends,\u201d Stovall added.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had a way of making people feel welcome and valued. Her passing has left a hole in the hearts of those who knew her, including myself and members of my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her daughter, Sophie, played for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA in 2017 and in the NCAA for Arizona State.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former WNBA star Sophie Brunner\u2019s mother was killed in a head-on crash in Illinois with an illegal immigrant…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66513,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[49,48,5782,42311,37513,82,886,630],"class_list":{"0":"post-66512","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-celebrity-deaths","11":"tag-drunk-driving","12":"tag-illegal-immigrants","13":"tag-sports","14":"tag-us-news","15":"tag-wnba"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66512\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}