A federal grand jury has indicted Carlos Iván Mendoza Hernández, a Salvadoran national residing in the U.S. illegally, on charges related to an April 7 confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Patterson, California. The indictment includes two counts of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and one count of destruction of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California.
The incident began when ICE agents attempted to arrest Hernández during a traffic stop. Authorities allege he refused to comply with orders, kept his vehicle running, and rammed an agent with his car before reversing and colliding with a law enforcement vehicle. One agent fired shots at Hernández, who was later hospitalized.
Hernández’s attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, disputes the government’s account, claiming officers fired first, prompting Hernández to attempt to flee. Kolasinski stated that the defense has faith in the judicial process and expects Hernández to be exonerated once all evidence is presented.
The case has drawn attention due to the differing narratives surrounding the use of force. ICE maintains that Hernández weaponized his vehicle to harm agents, while Hernández’s legal team argues he acted in self-defense after being fired upon.
The indictment marks the latest development in a case that has sparked debate over immigration enforcement tactics and the use of force by federal agents.