A Mexican national living illegally in Lewisville has been arrested and charged after allegedly assaulting federal immigration officers, according to a May 8 announcement from U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Andres Hernandez Medina, 38, was charged by complaint with assaulting or impeding federal officers in the Eastern District of Texas. Hernandez Medina appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bill Davis for an initial hearing on May 8.
The complaint alleges that on April 30, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Hernandez Medina near an apartment complex in Lewisville. Officers used three vehicles with activated emergency lights and sirens to box him in on the I-35 frontage road. According to the charges, Hernandez Medina tried to escape by accelerating aggressively, ramming one law enforcement vehicle and injuring an officer who was taken to the hospital. He then collided with another law enforcement vehicle, causing significant damage and seriously injuring a second officer who was also hospitalized. The suspect continued fleeing, struck several unoccupied vehicles, and eventually tried to escape on foot before being apprehended.
A passenger in the car remains in custody under an immigration hold while a third occupant is still at large. Immigration records show that Hernandez Medina has been deported from the United States at least three times previously. If convicted of these charges, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," said Combs.
The FBI is investigating this case while Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey is prosecuting it.
A federal complaint does not constitute evidence of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil litigation across 43 counties in East Texas while supporting victims and witnesses through dedicated services as part of its mission within the United States Department of Justice according to its official website.
