ICE Wants Laurel Man Who Stole State Tow Truck, Crashed Into Cars, Injured 3: Officials

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A Laurel man suspected of stealing a Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration tow truck and leading police on a chase through Prince George’s and Montgomery counties last week now is at risk of being deported.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it wants to take custody of Cesar Flavio Lanuza, 27, from Nicaragua, according to a report from FOX 5 DC. ICE's Baltimore field office director Darius Reeves confirmed with FOX 5 that Flavio Lanuza is from Nicaragua, and there's a detainer against him with the Montgomery County detention center.

During the police pursuit, Lanuza hit more than a dozen vehicles. The incident unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. Feb. 16 when Maryland State Police were called to a four-vehicle hit-and-run at the inner loop of Interstate-495 at the Greenbelt Metro Station. One of the drivers, who was operating a Ford Ranger, fled the scene. According to a preliminary investigation, Lanuza drove into the I-495/I-95 Park and Ride lot where it went off the road and hit a guard rail.

A SHA CHART vehicle responded to the scene to check on Lanuza but he hopped out of his Ford Ranger and stole the SHA tow truck. Troopers from the College Park Barrack attempted to stop Lanuza on the outer loop of I-495, but he then hit two vehicles and fled the scene. According to investigators, troopers found the vehicle around 5:50 p.m. in the area of Briggs Chaney Road at Greenmount Road in Calverton.

The SHA tow truck entered a parking lot off of Beltsville Road at Calverton Road, ran off the road and hit a pole attached to a powerline. Lanuza then rammed a Maryland State Police vehicle and several other vehicles before heading onto Priscilla Road in Montgomery County.

Maryland State Police and Montgomery County Police captured Lanuza around 6:30 p.m. after the tow truck broke down in the 10700 block of Columbia Pike in Silver Spring. The Maryland State Police Aviation Command also assisted in the search for the suspect.

According to a preliminary investigation, Lanuza hit 13 vehicles and injured a Maryland state trooper, a Montgomery County police officer and another driver. All were taken to the hospital for treatment. Lanuza also was taken to a hospital for treatment. Charges are pending, including vehicle and first-degree assault.