By Steve Neavling
A 37-year-old man was charged after authorities said he struck and dragged a Border Patrol agent with his car while smuggling a migrant in Texas.
The assault occurred at the Ysleta Station checkpoint in El Paso County at midnight on Aug. 10.
It was the third assault on a Border Patrol agent in one week, according to the FBI.
Ivan Mendoza, of El Paso, was being questioned by an agent at a secondary inspection at the immigration checkpoint. When the agent tried to open one of the car’s doors, Mendoza sped off while striking and dragging the agent, the FBI said.
The agent was taken to the hospital in non-life-threatening condition.
“The men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol work tirelessly to keep our borders safe,” FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey said in a statement. “Over the past week we have received three assault on federal officer allegations targeting U.S. Border Patrol agents. Assaults on Border Patrol agents or any other federal agents/officers or task force officers will not be tolerated and will be addressed swiftly by our office so they can continue to carry out their sworn duty to protect our communities.”
Border Patrol El Paso Sector Chief Gloria I. Chavez added, “Our agents continue to display valor and courage in the most trying circumstances. This is just another example of the inherent dangers our agents face every day.”
