Yuma Border Patrol has rough Monday

Yuma area Border Patrol agents had their hands full Monday morning with rock and firebomb throwers, including an arsonist who started a fire in a wheat field, the patrol said. No agents were injured in any of the incidents that occurred near the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, Ariz., the patrol said, and the city's fire department put out the fire before it could spread.

The first incident occurred at 1:20 a.m. about a half-mile east of the port, when agents encountered a group of five suspected illegal immigrants, who turned around and headed back to Mexico when they saw the agents. Once across the border, they began throwing rocks at the agents, who withdrew to a safe distance and contacted Mexican authorities, according to a Border Patrol news release.

Ten minutes later, an agent saw a Molotov cocktail being thrown from Mexico over the international boundary fence about a mile west of the port of entry. It landed about 30 yards from the agent’s truck and burned out. Then, several people in Mexico threw rocks directly at the agent, who drove to a safe location behind the secondary fence and contacted Mexican authorities, the release said.

At 3 a.m., an agent observed the fire burning in the agricultural fields west of San Luis and near County 23rd Street. The San Luis Fire Department was called and extinguished the fire, which was limited to a wheat field.

The patrol believes the fire was set to disrupt Border Patrol operations. The agent followed two individuals' footprints from the site of the fire back toward Mexico, according to the release.

Lloyd Easterling, spokesman for the patrol's Yuma sector, was not immediately available for comment Monday.

In separate incidents Sunday, Yuma sector agents arrested an illegal alien with what they described as a lengthy criminal history, and rescued another alien from the All American Canal.

The arrest came at the Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 8 at milepost 17 as agents were questioning a man who said he was lawfully admitted for permanent residence but did not have his immigration card.

A records check revealed a lengthy criminal history, including felony domestic violence, assault, criminal damage, possession of controlled substances and failure to appear, the patrol said. Additionally, he was prosecuted in federal court for entering the San Luis, Ariz., port of entry with a hidden illegal alien and a concealed handgun, according to the news release.

The suspect was transported to the Wellton station for processing and further investigation. During interviews, agents noticed various gang tattoos on his arms, body and legs. When questioned about the tattoos, the suspect said was he was a member of the "Sureños" gang, the release said.

He is being held pending prosecution on illegal entry into the United States, the release said.

The canal rescue came as agents were patrolling at 9 p.m. about two miles west of the Andrade, Calif., port of entry. An agent heard calls for help coming from the canal. Shining a spotlight in the canal, the agent saw a man in the water struggling to stay afloat. He immediately deployed a rescue device and pulled the man from the water, according to the news release.

After being rescued, the man asked for medical assistance and was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center. Agents performed records checks via radio and discovered the man had a criminal history, including seven prior deportations, the release said.

After being treated, the man was transported to the Yuma station for processing, where a further records check revealed he had previously been arrested on rape, burglary, robbery, disorderly conduct, battery, parole violations and failure to register as a sex offender, according to the release.

He is being presented for prosecution on illegal entry into the U.S. and illegal re-entry after deportation. He faces a fine and up to 10 years in prison, the release said.

----

Nicole Squibbs can be reached at

nsquibbs@yumasun.com or 539-6855.