Suspected Smuggler Rams Border Patrol Car
Agents Suffer Minor Injuries

POSTED: 2:00 pm PDT August 11, 2008
UPDATED: 3:03 pm PDT August 11, 2008


JAMUL, Calif. -- Two Border Patrol agents are recovering from injuries after officials say a suspected human smuggler rammed his SUV into their patrol car in East County.


It happened Saturday around 9 p.m. along Ivanhoe Ranch Road in Jamul.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, the agents attempted to stop a Jeep Grand Cherokee they suspected was transporting illegal immigrants. The driver of the SUV sped off from the attempted stop and began driving erratically, officials said, and agents ended their pursuit.

A short time later, the agents spotted the SUV parked on the shoulder of Ivanhoe Ranch Road with its headlights off. As the agents approached the vehicle, officials said the SUV rammed head-on into the agents' patrol car. The driver then reversed the SUV and crashed into the agents a second time, disabling both vehicles.

The agents were able to apprehend eight people inside the Jeep Cherokee, all of who were male Mexican nationals illegally in the U.S., officials said. The 28-year-old driver was taken into custody and faces illegal immigrant smuggling and assault on a federal agent charges.

The agents were evaluated at a local hospital for minor injuries.

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