GREEN RIVER, WYOMING — A non-domiciled commercial driver was arrested in early February after contacting authorities to report a broken side mirror on his semi-truck at a Love’s Travel Stop along Interstate 80.

According to court documents and reporting by Cowboy State Daily, truck driver Vazha Gelashvili parked at the Love’s in Green River around February 1 and went inside to shower. When he returned, he noticed his side mirror had been damaged. A truck stop employee reportedly told him that law enforcement would need to be present to review surveillance footage.

When an officer responded, Gelashvili presented what court filings describe as a “legally issued commercial driver’s license from the state of New Jersey.” Authorities determined the non-domiciled CDL was not valid in Wyoming under a new state law. He was detained at the scene, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted to place an immigration hold.

The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office later stated that Gelashvili did not provide documentation proving lawful presence in the United States. Wyoming statute 31-7-143, which took effect July 1, invalidates out-of-state licenses issued to “unauthorized aliens” if proof of lawful presence was not provided.

Investigators determined that the vehicle responsible for damaging the mirror had already left the scene. Gelashvili’s dash camera was reportedly not operational at the time. Authorities say the mirror incident remains under investigation, though leads are limited.

Gelashvili was initially held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center and is now in ICE custody in Aurora, Colorado. He has filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in U.S. District Court for Wyoming, arguing that federal immigration authorities are unlawfully detaining him under a recent Department of Homeland Security policy adopted in July.

Court filings indicate Gelashvili entered the United States without inspection at the southern border but was later released on his own recognizance and is eligible for work authorization. His next immigration court hearing is reportedly scheduled for 2028.

His attorneys argue that under federal statute 8 U.S.C. 1226(a), ICE has discretion to release individuals like him on bond, and they contend that a recent Board of Immigration Appeals decision limiting bond authority conflicts with longstanding statutory interpretation.

The Denver Field Office Director for ICE has been ordered to respond to the petition. The case remains ongoing.

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