Teen Driver Arrested After Plea Deal in Fatal Crash of Kaitlyn Weaver

AURORA, Colorado — A 16-year-old from Colombia, who received a plea deal after causing a fatal car crash, was arrested by immigration authorities alongside his family on May 20. The teen had struck and killed 24-year-old Kaitlyn Weaver in July 2024 while driving over 90 mph in a residential area.

The crash occurred when Weaver was stopped at a sign, and the teenager’s Jeep collided with her vehicle. She was placed on life support and died two days later after her organs were donated. Her father, John Weaver, expressed outrage over the legal proceedings, describing them as a “collision” between the immigration and criminal justice systems.

The crash led to a plea deal that resulted in probation and community service for the teenager, who was not publicly named due to his age. This decision was met with criticism from the Weaver family and community members who felt it was grossly inadequate given the circumstances.

“We had a collision where the immigration system and the criminal justice system collided, and now my daughter’s dead,” John Weaver told reporters. The teen’s conviction came from a case processed in Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, which involved discussions of the teenager’s legal status in the U.S.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials stated that the teen’s status as an illegal immigrant warranted arrest. According to an ICE spokesman, the agency regularly detains individuals who violate immigration laws, regardless of nationality.

Following his arrest, the Colombian teen remained in ICE custody pending an immigration hearing. Despite his pending asylum claim, immigration laws still allow for detention. The teenager’s mother had reportedly attempted to send him back to Colombia after the crash, but he chose to stay and seek asylum.

Kaitlyn Weaver was remembered by her family as someone dedicated to helping others, having worked at a drug rehabilitation center and volunteered for a suicide hotline. John’s grief was compounded by the leniency shown in the legal proceedings surrounding his daughter’s tragic death.