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The mother of former WNBA player Sophie Brunner was identified as a victim of a head-on collision involving an illegal immigrant, Illinois officials said Tuesday.
Darcy Connolly-Brunner, 61, and Rolando ICO-Choc, 30, both died when ICO-Choc drove his Nissan Altima crossed the midline of Illinois Route 26 in Stephenson County to Connolly-Brunner’s Ford Edge on August 9, said Stephenson County Sheriff Steve Stovall at a press conference.
Both were killed in the crash.
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Sophie Brunner, #25 of Phoenix Mercury, poses for a photo during Media Day on May 8, 2017 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
Stovall said it was believed that ICO-Choc was a Guatemalan citizen who had lived in freeport once before and that alcohol may have played a role in the crash, according to WIFR-TV.
“One of the lives was someone I knew well, Darcy Connolly-Brunner,” Stovall added. “Darcy was more than just a member of the community, she was a friend. She was a friendly and gave person who used to be deeply for her family and friends.”
Stovall also revealed that ICO-Choc had a criminal past. Registrations show that he was indicted for sharpened DUI with a license suspended or revoked in 2023. Officials said there was no indication that Connolly-Brunner was under influence.
Illinois State Secretary Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said Homeland Security officials confirmed with him that ICO-Choc was illegal in the country. He called for the cancellation of the Trust Act and Safe-T Act, which he said contributed to the ICO-Choc being in the country in the first place.
Arizona State Sun Devils Forward Sophie Brunner, #21, runs the course against Stanford Cardinal Forward Erica McCall, #24, during the semi-finals of the PAC-12 Women’s Conference Tournament at Keyarena in Seattle on March 7, 2015. (James Snook/USA Today Sports)
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“A woman who dedicated her life to her family and her community was killed in daylight by a man who should never have been in this country or on the road,” he said in a statement. “His criminal listing includes prior charges of DUI, worsening (crime) DUI and battery.
“In addition, it was confirmed by the US Ministry of Homeland Security that he was in this country illegal, after crossing the border a few years ago during the Biden administration. Still, thanks to Illinois’ Trust Act and Safe-T-act, he remained in this country and was free to get back behind the wheel of a car and kill an innocent woman.
The Department of Homeland Security logo is seen during a news conference in Washington, DC, February 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
Sophie Brunner was a local basketball star in Freeport and attended Arizona State to play college basketball. She joined WNBA in 2017 and played for Phoenix Mercury and San Antonio Silver Stars.
