Honduran Immigrant Wanted After Ramming ICE Vehicle

Federal authorities are on the lookout for a Honduran immigrant, Gelson Lopez Sanchez, who is accused of crashing his vehicle into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) car in Dallas last month, injuring several agents.

The incident occurred on December 1 when Lopez-Sanchez, 28, allegedly pressed the gas to escape as three ICE vehicles surrounded his Chevrolet Silverado during a traffic stop. A grand jury indictment filed in the Eastern District of Texas this week outlines the details.

Prosecutors claim that while one ICE officer had a foot outside his vehicle, Lopez-Sanchez collided with a law enforcement Jeep parked behind, injuring the officer and creating an opportunity for him to flee.

Following that, officers pursued Lopez-Sanchez’s truck, which had four passengers, according to the indictment.

A Chrysler van driven by an ICE agent attempted to block his escape, but instead of stopping, he accelerated and rammed into the van, injuring two agents inside.

Photos from the indictment revealed a severely damaged van, with smoke coming from its engine. Jay Combs, acting U.S. attorney for the district, shared that the crash was so severe that it deployed all the airbags in the vehicle. He noted that ICE officers received a 911 call to provide assistance.

While officials have not disclosed specifics about the injuries of the officers involved, it was mentioned that one passenger in the van suffered back and neck injuries.

The chase lasted about ten more minutes until the Chevrolet truck halted in the median. All five people inside exited and fled on foot.

With help from civilians, three occupants were apprehended, but Lopez-Sanchez managed to escape.

He currently faces three counts of assaulting an ICE officer and remains at large.

The FBI has put forth a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to his arrest, and if captured, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

As of Thursday, it was reported that Lopez-Sanchez had no prior criminal history or active warrants.

These charges were filed just a week after a separate incident where Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, lost her life after colliding with an ICE officer during an operation in Minneapolis, which led to significant protests in the area.