Feds search for suspect accused of ramming cars, injuring ICE agents in Texas
Federal authorities are searching for a Honduran national believed to be in the country illegally who is also accused of ramming ICE agents’ vehicles and injuring officers during a traffic stop in North Texsa last month.
The FBI is offering a $15,000 reward.
Jerson Lopez-Sanchez, 28, was indicted Wednesday on three counts of assault, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
The indictment alleges that on Dec. 1, federal immigration agents tried to conduct a traffic stop in the 2400 block of South Stemmons Freeway in Lewisville.
Sanchez was pulled over after agents noticed his Chevrolet Silverado with construction racks and five passengers, authorities said.
The agents requested a check of the vehicle’s registration and discovered that Sanchez, who owned the Silverado, was in the U.S. illegally, according to court documents.
The indictment alleges that when Sanchez was pulled over, he put his pickup truck in reverse, ramming the SUV behind him. An officer had one leg outside of the vehicle and suffered injuries, according to the indictment.
The agents were wearing clearly marked vests and carrying badges, authorities said.
There was enough room for Sanchez to drive around the vehicle behind him, and agents began pursuing him. One of the federal agents was able to block Sanchez, but instead of stopping he rammed the second SUV, injuring two more officers, according to the indictment.
The pursuit continued to East Valley Boulevard in Lewisville, where Sanchez and his passengers fled on foot, authorities said.
The agents captured three people, but Sanchez is still on the run, and may be working as a roofer.
According to KDFW-TV, federal authorities said during a news conference in Dallas on Thursday that Sanchez rammed a minivan so violently that the airbags were deployed, injuring two agents. Authorities did not provide details on the extent of the injuries.
Robert Cerna, the acting director of ICE’s Dallas field office, told Fox 4 that since October, ICE Dallas has arrested more than 10,000 people. About 80% of them have a criminal conviction or they’ve been charged with a criminal offense, according to Cerna. Some have final orders for removal.
“We’re trying to make the community safer,” he said.