Family seeks justice in deadly crash as car owner faces immigration hold

Family: Don't deport him, charge him in deadly crash with immigrant

It took 89 days for authorities to take the registered owner of a car involved in a deadly crash into custody. But there’s a troubling twist. Tia Ewing is here with the details.

CHICAGO - A grieving mother is demanding accountability after the registered owner of a car involved in a deadly crash is now in immigration custody — with no criminal charges filed.

What we know:

It took 89 days for authorities to take Miguel Angel Navarrete Palacios into custody following the November 23, 2025, crash that killed two young people along South Lake Shore Drive.

But instead of facing charges in criminal court, Navarrete Palacios is now being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

For the family of one of the victims, that raises troubling questions.

"I want him in the county jail, no walking around free, doing what he wants to do," said Stephanie Hartley, mother of Prince Sullivan, who died in the crash.

"I have to talk to my baby in the urn while you out here walking and doing what you wanna do, and my son's supposed to be going in and out the house, having fun, going to work, living. He would have been 24 next month."

A Deadly Early Morning Crash

The crash happened just before 4:30 a.m. on the 3900 block of South Lake Shore Drive.

Police say a Kia Forte — registered to Navarrete Palacios — was speeding and ran a stop sign before slamming into a stalled Chevy Malibu with its hazard lights activated. The impact sparked a fire.

Inside the Malibu were Prince Sullivan, a Northern Illinois University graduate, and his childhood friend, Deanna Kulovitz. She was a 911 dispatcher at OEMC.

Both were killed in the crash. Sullivan was burned so badly he was unidentifiable, according to reports presented in court.

Who Was Driving?

Police confirm Navarrete Palacios is the registered owner of the Kia. However, he told investigators he was not driving at the time of the crash.

According to police, Navarrete Palacios said he was a passenger and that the driver was someone he had just met. That individual was found unconscious at the scene and later died, never able to provide his account of what happened.

At this time, the Chicago Police Department says there are no criminal charges pending against Navarrete Palacios.

Now in ICE Custody

Navarrete Palacios is currently being held by ICE. It is unclear what specific immigration action or hold led to his detention.

We reached out to ICE to ask why he is being held and whether deportation proceedings are underway. We have not received a response.

We also contacted the Office of the Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, to ask whether the state is monitoring the case. We have not yet heard back.

A Mother’s Plea for Justice

For Stephanie Hartley, the immigration hold is not enough.

She says deportation would deny her family the chance to see the case fully investigated in criminal court.

Nearly three months after the crash, she says she is still waiting for accountability in the deaths of her son and his friend.

As the investigation continues, the central question remains: If the only surviving person connected to the vehicle leaves the country, will anyone face criminal responsibility for what happened that night?

What they're saying:

"Tragedies like this are the result of progressive policies that will continue to put families across our state at risk. Prioritizing public safety is not political, it’s common sense. Illinois Democrats rewarded illegal immigrants in Illinois while washing their hands of the tragic consequences for law-abiding crime victims and their families."

 Patrick Sheehan, Illinois House of Representatives for the 37th district