Forget disappearing ducks and geese in public parks—residents of Springfield say the real threat is the reckless driving by Haitian migrants who are unfamiliar with U.S. road laws. Locals claim these drivers are transforming the streets into dangerous “combat zones,” and the consequences have been tragic.
Kathy Heaton, a beloved 71-year-old grandmother, was killed on Dec. 1 while retrieving her garbage cans. A Haitian migrant, 38-year-old Robenson Louis, struck her with his car, throwing her body across the street with such force that her socks were left behind, according to the police report. Despite driving with expired license plates, Louis faced no charges, leaving the family devastated, told the New York Post.
“It was around 5:40 in the morning. The trash had come early that day, and we think that’s what probably woke her up,” said Mandy Heaton, Kathy’s daughter-in-law. The impact was so severe that debris and clumps of Kathy’s hair were found embedded in the car’s cracked windshield. Yet, prosecutors concluded just three days later that no charges would be filed against Louis.
“They didn’t feel that it was anything prosecutable. We don’t know why,” Mandy explained. “The only facts I know are that two prosecutors met and felt there were no charges to be filed. We were devastated.”
Mandy, like many other Springfield residents, believes the growing number of Haitian migrants—an estimated 20,000 in a city of just 60,000—has worsened the road safety crisis. Migrants, she says, are receiving temporary driving permits without proper education on U.S. traffic laws, leading to reckless and dangerous driving.
“There must be eight to 10 accidents a day here,” one resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Post. “I’ve seen cars drive up into buildings and onto sidewalks. I believe everyone deserves help, but we shouldn’t be providing cars and licenses until people know how to drive here safely.”
On social media, locals have shared alarming videos showing cars flying across intersections, driving into ditches, and even crashing through homes and businesses. These unsettling incidents line up with what Mandy and her family have experienced, leaving them “constantly stressed and anxious” to even walk through parking lots.
“Haitians are going the wrong way down one-way streets, making unlawful U-turns, damaging property by driving recklessly,” Mandy said. “They’re thrown into a situation where they’re given a license with minimal education and training on our laws and rules here.”
The Heaton family isn’t the only one affected by this crisis. In August 2023, 11-year-old Aiden Clark was tragically killed when a Haitian driver, without a U.S. license, caused a school bus to roll over, crushing the boy beneath it. At least 20 other children were hospitalized in the horrific accident.
The growing danger has caught the attention of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who recently announced $2.5 million in aid and additional State Highway Patrol troopers to help restore order on Springfield’s roads. In response, Mandy and her husband Chris are pushing for “Kathy’s Law,” which would require immigrants seeking an Ohio driver’s license to undergo the same tests and regulations as first-time American drivers.
“We will push to enforce the same restrictions that my seven-year-old twins, who lost their grandmother that night, will have to follow when they seek to obtain a license,” Chris said during emotional testimony to the Springfield City Commission.
The city also made headlines recently after viral claims circulated alleging that Haitian migrants were killing local cats, ducks, and geese for food. These allegations were echoed by Ohio senator and vice presidential candidate JD Vance, who claimed his office was flooded with reports. However, local officials have denied such events, though a police report obtained by The Federalist mentioned four Haitians allegedly seen snatching geese from a park in August.
The situation reached national attention when Donald Trump referenced the allegations during a presidential debate. “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame,” Trump said, despite the city’s denial of the claims.
Neither the Clark County prosecutors nor the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to requests for comment, while the Springfield sheriff’s office has remained silent on reports involving accidents caused by Haitian migrants.