Incident Involving ICE Officer and Suspect
The FBI apprehended a man on Monday suspected of being an undocumented immigrant and gang member. This follows an incident where he allegedly struck an ICE officer with his vehicle during a traffic stop last week.
Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, originally from El Salvador and residing near San Francisco, California, faces charges of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, as reported by the Department of Justice on Tuesday.
Authorities established that Mendoza Hernandez’s vehicle was stopped because he was suspected of links to the 18th Street gang. Furthermore, he is believed to be in the U.S. illegally and is wanted in connection with a murder case in El Salvador.
While attempting to flee, he reportedly retrieved a weapon from his car. Following a series of events, he was shot and medically treated for several days before being cleared and transported to custody.
According to FBI Special Agent Brian Toy, Mendoza Hernandez ignored commands from federal officers, driving recklessly and almost causing serious harm to an officer during the encounter. His actions led to damage to federal vehicles, and when agents tried to detain him, he drove forward and struck one officer, then reversed into another police vehicle.
Further details reveal that Mendoza Hernandez attempted to ram the agents again, which necessitated one officer to jump out of the way to avoid injury. Toy assessed that, had the agent not moved in time, the encounter could have resulted in severe injury or worse.
Following these aggressive maneuvers, federal agents fired at Mendoza Hernandez, hitting him multiple times. He then drove against traffic and abandoned his vehicle before fleeing the scene.
His legal representation stated that he suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was still hospitalized as of Monday. The attorney indicated that he was in critical condition and not yet ready for release.
Mendoza Hernandez’s family and legal team challenge the narrative of his gang affiliations, referring to documents indicating his acquittal from murder charges in El Salvador. His attorney described him as a devoted father and partner, emphasizing the tragic circumstances surrounding the incident. They argued that he was simply frightened during the encounter with ICE officials.
His legal status will be evaluated during his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison along with a potential fine of $250,000.
