A man was arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting federal officers after he tried to flee from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation near an apartment complex in Lewisville.
Jose Andres Hernandez Medina, a 38-year-old who officials said has been illegally living in Lewisville, was arrested after Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to stop him on an I-35E frontage road.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas, ICE agents were conducting a law enforcement operation near an apartment complex in Lewisville on Thursday, April 30, when they identified a vehicle driven by Hernandez Medina.
Officials said the ICE agents drove three separate vehicles, all flashing red and blue emergency lights and sirens.
They attempted to stop the suspect vehicle by boxing it in, which is when officers said Hernandez Medina attempted to drive off.
“Hernandez Medina attempted to flee and aggressively accelerated, rammed one of the law enforcement vehicles and caused significant injuries to the federal officer,” said officials in a press release.
The suspect then allegedly continued to evade the stop, colliding with another ICE vehicle.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the two agents were immediately hospitalized.
Hernandez Medina continued to drive, hitting parked cars before ditching his vehicle and taking off on foot.
According to officials, Hernandez Medina and a passenger in his vehicle were both detained. Agents were unable to detain a third occupant.
Immigration records indicate Hernandez Medina has been deported from the United States to Mexico three times. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
The FBI continues to investigate the case.
In January, a federal arrest warrant was issued for a 28-year-old Honduran national in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas after he was charged with “assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees” in Lewisville.
Officials were offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the man’s arrest after he fled from a wreck that involved ICE agents in a minivan.
Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree has assured federal agents they would be safe to perform their duties in Denton County.
In January, the Denton County Sheriff’s Office expanded its 287(g) agreement with ICE, giving DCSO officers more authority when it comes to detaining people they believe might be violating U.S. immigration law.
