By Steve Neavling
An Arizona man accused of driving a Border Patrol agent’s vehicle off the road has been charged with assault on a federal officer with use of a deadly weapon, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Daniel Jerome Wagner, 54, of Phoenix, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Wagner was suspected of smuggling undocumented immigrants when an agent attempted to stop his speeding car near Douglas, Ariz., on Sept. 21. Wagner abruptly stopped his vehicle on U.S. State Route 80 before driving toward the agency’s fully marked Border Patrol vehicle.
The agent drove off the highway to avoid being struck and was narrowly hit, federal prosecutors said.
Other agents followed Wagner and arrested him.
CBP conducted the investigation.
