11-05-2025
Man responsible for girl's death detained by ICE
A man who was residing in the country illegally was turned over to federal immigration authorities late last month.
On Thursday evening, Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes confirmed the release of Josue H. Palacios, 41, to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Palacios, who had been living in the 200 block of Circle Road in Sanford prior to being jailed, was convicted of three misdemeanors on March 10 in the vehicle vs. pedestrian crash that claimed the life of Gabrielle Teresa Houston, 16, on June 3, 2023.
Palacios was sentenced to 45 days in jail for his crimes by Superior Court Judge C. Winston Gilchrist. April 24 would have been his 45th day in jail.
Lee County Magistrate Harry B. Stryffeler signed an order for the jail to hold Palacios 48 hours for ICE on April 23.
On April 28, Gilchrist signed an order allowing Houston's mother, Lauren Houston Hedgepeth, to pick up her daughter's cell phone.
Palacios was found not guilty of felony hit-and-run resulting in death, but was guilty of hit-and-run leaving the scene of property damage, a lesser offense, along with failure to report an accident and having no driver's license.
Gabrielle Houston was found dead on Fire Tower Road in front of Southern Lee High School, according to a previous Sanford Herald report. Houston, who was a pedestrian, was struck from behind, and Palacios, who was arrested later that day, said he thought he hit a deer.
According to a court document, at the time of his sentencing Palacios had three prior convictions for driving without a license, two in Wake County and one in Lee County from as far back as 2014, along with four violations for speeding or improper equipment.
According to his bond release order dated June 5, 2023, Palacios had no ID.
He was arrested June 3, 2023, and posted a $100,000 bond two days later by paying $9,000 for his release, according to a court document.
