Suspected smuggler accused of attacking Border Patrol agents
Struggle followed Interstate 8 pursuit
CAMPO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A suspected smuggler is behind bars accused of assaulting two Border Patrol agents while trying to get his human cargo across the U.S. border.
Agents tell us it happened just after one Tuesday morning along westbound Interstate 8.
The Border Patrol says a man in a Ford pickup truck initially complied when ordered to pull over near Campo. However, they say he sped off when they got near the truck.
Agents deployed a spike strip as the driver neared the Pine Valley immigration checkpoint. That brought the truck to a stop near the Sunrise Highway exit. The Border Patrol says the driver then took off on foot.
The Border Patrol says the driver later leaped out from a bush and tackled an agent. Eventually a second agent broke up the struggle, and managed to get the suspect handcuffed.
Agents say they found four Mexican nationals, three men and one woman, in the back of the pickup. They say all were in the country illegally. the migrants were taken in for processing.
The driver, a 37-year-old U.S. Citizen, was arrested. He'll be charged with human smuggling and assault on a federal officer.
“The ambush and assault of our agents will not be tolerated and this case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in order to protect our workforce and the community.” said Acting Chief Patricia McGurk-Daniel of the San Diego Sector.
The agents suffered only minor cuts and bruises in the scuffle.
