MCALLEN, Texas — Authorities continue to look into a recent attack on a U.S. Border Patrol agent whose patrol vehicle was repeatedly rammed by a motorist.
The attack took place Thursday just west of the border city of La Joya, Texas, according to information provided to Breitbart Texas by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). The attack took place without warning and appears to have been unprovoked. The Border Patrol agent, assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector, and a Texas DPS State Trooper had been traveling along U.S. Highway 83 in a federal vehicle when their vehicle was rammed from behind. The trooper was working with the agent as part of Texas’ deployment of additional law enforcement resources to the border region.
The U.S. Border Patrol vehicle was struck a second time leading the agent to move over to the side in an attempt to avoid another collision. Officials stated that when the agent pulled to the side, the suspect driving a 2003 Infiniti G35 rammed the patrol vehicle a third time causing the vehicle to spin off the road.
The driver of the other vehicle has been identified by authorities as 27-year-old Jorge Luis Velez of Alamo, Texas. After ramming the vehicle, Velez tried to flee the scene but his vehicle stalled out 200 yards down the road.
Velez tried to run away. When another U.S. Border Patrol agent attempted to stop him, the suspect allegedly struck the law enforcement official during the ensuing struggle. The investigation into the attack is being led by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Velez has been arrested and taken to a local jail where he was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of assaulting a public servant and one count of resisting arrest.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project and you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.