Man pleads guilty to hitting Border Patrol agent
The Associated Press
Posted: 12/23/2008 09:12:09 PM PST


SAN DIEGO—A Mexican citizen pleaded guilty to hitting a Border Patrol agent with his car at an immigration checkpoint.
Prosecutors say Fernando Mejia-Baron of Tijuana pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to assaulting a federal officer.

U.S. Attorney Karen Hewitt says Mejia-Baron was wearing a U.S. Army brigadier general's uniform, which made agents suspicious about how the 23-year-old reached such a high rank.

When they tried to stop his car, he fled and struck an agent, who suffered minor injuries. There were three illegal immigrants hiding in his trunk.

Mejia-Baron faces a maximum 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced March 23.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11299802