Thread: AZ: Fallen agent honored at memorial service

Fallen agent honored at memorial service

January 19, 2009 - 8:33 PM
BY JAMES GILBERT, SUN STAFF WRITER

The Yuma Sector Border Patrol paid tribute Monday morning to one of its agents who lost his life in the line of duty one year ago.

The tone of the ceremony was somber with agents, officers from other law enforcement agencies, as well as members of the community in attendance to honor agent Luis Aguilar.

"He ultimately laid down his life for his country," said Chief Patrol Agent Paul Beeson. "We owe it to him to honor and remember his sacrifice."

Aguilar died on Jan. 19, 2008, when he was run over and killed by a suspected drug smuggler near Gray's Well Road in the Imperial San Dunes, about eight miles west of the Andrade port of entry on the California-Mexico border.

He was laying spike strips across the road in attempt to stop two fleeing smuggling vehicles when one of them, a Hummer, struck and killed him. Both vehicles then fled into Mexico.

"Our purpose for being here today is to mark the anniversary of (Aguilar's) death and to uphold a promise we have made to remember a colleague who gave that last full measure of devotion to his country," Beeson said. "January 19th is a date we will not forget and Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar is a man whose memory we will cherish. Let our memory of (Aguilar) be a constant reminder of the vigilance that must be maintained by all Border Patrol Agents everyday."

During the ceremony, Chief Beeson spoke of Aguilar's devotion and dedication to duty, calling him a hero and a patriot.

Beeson said when patriotism and the actions of heroes are spoken of, phrases such as "not on my watch" and "stand in the gap" and a host of others are used to portray a deep sense of patriotism and devotion to duty.

"Whether (Aguilar) ever said these things I cannot say," Beeson said. "But I can say that his actions spoke louder than any words he might have uttered along those lines."

The chief went on to say, "We know that (Aguilar) was trying to stop a drug dealer from plying his trade on America's street. We know that as that smuggler barreled down the road in reckless disregard for others (Aguilar) took actions to both stop that smuggler and keep others away from a dangerous situation. In doing so (Aguilar) placed himself in harm's way and it cost him his life. (Aguilar) did not have to say a word to show his patriotism, he just did it."

Aguilar was honored in a public funeral service on Jan. 24, 2008. Thousands attended, filling the 2,200-seat Yuma Civic Center almost to capacity. Those who could not find a chair stood through the service as officials from Washington, D.C., and Aguilar's loved ones paid tribute to his memory.

Mexican authorities announced on Jan. 24, 2008 they arrested Jesus Navarro Montes, 22, of Mexicali, Baja Calif., in the northern state of Sonora in connection with an unrelated smuggling case.

However, Navarro Montes was cleared by a Mexican judge of an unrelated migrant smuggling charge and released from a Mexicali prison before he could be deported to face prosecution in Aguilar's death.

Aguilar's wife and family could not attend the ceremony because his wife, Erica, is marching as a special guest with the Border Patrol honor guard during today's inauguration parade for President-elect Barak Obama.

Monday's memorial ceremony also featured the first public appearance of the Yuma sector's rifle drill team. Flags were also raised to half staff.

Aguilar, a native of El-Paso, Texas, joined the border patrol in 2002. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Tony, also a border patrol agent, and of his father Luis Sr., a deputy sheriff in El Paso, when he joined.

www.yumasun.com

January 19th

2008 Aguilar Killed
2009 Ramos and Compean Sentence Commutated

anyone else notice this