A man who was shot multiple times during an arrest by immigration officers in central California has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he rammed his vehicle into two agents, prosecutors said.
Indictment and Charges
A federal grand jury on Friday indicted Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, who holds dual citizenship in El Salvador and Mexico, on two counts of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and one count of damaging government property. The charges stem from an incident on April 7 in Patterson, California, about 75 miles southeast of San Francisco.
Defense Claims
Patrick Kolasinski, one of Mendoza's lawyers, stated that his client panicked and attempted to flee when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents blocked his vehicle, and that he did not intend to run over anyone. Kolasinski also disputed claims by officials that Mendoza was a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in relation to a murder. Salvadoran court documents show he was acquitted of murder in El Salvador, and Mendoza has denied ever being in a gang. He came to the U.S. in 2019 and has no criminal record, according to Kolasinski.
Legal Proceedings
The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed Monday that Mendoza has requested a jury trial. A status conference is scheduled for July 27. Mendoza is recovering after several surgeries for multiple gunshot wounds, including one to his jaw, his attorney said.
ICE Account
The Department of Homeland Security reported that ICE officers fired defensive shots after Mendoza allegedly tried to drive into them during an enforcement stop targeting the 36-year-old. This incident is part of a series of shootings during the Trump administration's aggressive push to detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally. It has raised questions about the circumstances, as video evidence in some previous shootings contradicted immigration officials' initial accounts.
