Charges Dropped Against Migrant Accused in the Death of Florida Deputy Who Had Heart Attack After Struggle

Florida prosecutors dropped all charges against a 19-year-old migrant worker accused of causing the death of a deputy who suffered a heart attack following a struggle.

Virgilio Aguilar-Mendez was arrested in May after an altercation with St. Johns County Sergeant Michael Kunovich. {snip}

"Aguilar Mendez is a migrant who resisted Sergeant Kunovich’s lawful efforts to detain him and as a result, Sergeant Kunovich tragically suffered a fatal heart attack,"

A Florida Judge dismissed the manslaughter case today. Do not be a police officer. pic.twitter.com/i1FDNjXwo6

— Joe Del Norte (@joe_norte) March 1, 2024

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Aguilar-Mendez, an immigrant from Guatemala who is in the country illegally, remains in federal custody. {snip}

According to an arrest report obtained by The Post, the incident began when Kunovich spotted Aguilar-Mendez in the parking lot of a Super 8 motel around 9 p.m. on May 16. As Kunovich approached in his marked cruiser, the teen began to walk away.

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Additional officers arrived and struggled to subdue Aguilar-Mendez on the ground.

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After the teen was subdued, the 53-year-old Kunovich collapsed. {snip}

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In a statement announcing their decision, the District State Attorney’s office acknowledges that language barrier was a factor in the case.

“Recent expert testimony regarding the defendant’s inability to comprehend the English language, his cultural background and concerns about his intellectual capacity have raised significant issues to consider in the case,” they said in a statement.

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