CAMPO, Calif. (KGTV) -- A man was arrested after reportedly assaulting two Border Patrol agents as they attempted to arrest him for trying to smuggle people into the U.S.
According to the agency, the incident happened around 1:17 a.m. Tuesday as agents patrolled Interstate 8 in Campo.
Agents tried to stop a 2007 Ford F-350 near Kitchen Creek Road when the driver took off, leading agents on a high-speed chase.
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According to Border Patrol, agents successfully deployed a tire deflation device, forcing the vehicle to stop a short distance later, but the driver got out and fled on foot.
As agents searched for man, he reportedly jumped out of a nearby bush, tackling one of the officers to the ground. A second agent also responded to the scene, struggling with the suspect as well.
Inside the F-350, agents found three men and one woman, all Mexican nationals in the U.S. illegally.
They were all taken to a Border Patrol station for processing and the suspect, identified as a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested.
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“The Border Patrol like any Law Enforcement job is inherently dangerous. The Border Patrol is comprised of a highly trained / multi-disciplined work force. Our agents are trained and equipped to properly confront any situation they may encounter in the field,” said San Diego Sector Acting Division Chief Patricia McGurk-Daniel. “The ambush and assault of our agents will not be tolerated and this case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in order to protect our workforce and the community.”
