Yuma agents assaulted; 26 suspects arrested

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents from Yuma were assaulted twice Wednesday, in two separate incidents, while trying to apprehend more than 30 individuals who entered the U.S. from Mexico.

The first incident occurred at 10:30 a.m. when a Yuma agent was nearly struck by a smuggler's vehicle while trying to evade agents.

According to Border Patrol spokesman Andy Patterson, Yuma agents and a CBP Air and Marine pilot spotted a pickup truck load several illegal immigrants near the All American Canal in Andrade, Calif.

Patterson said as the vehicle approached Interstate 8, the driver saw Border Patrol agents, did a U-turn and began trying to drive back toward Mexico.

An agent on foot deployed tire spikes to stop the truck, but the driver swerved toward the agent and accelerated in an attempt to hit him with the vehicle.

The agent was able to jump out of the vehicle’s path and was not injured, according to Patterson. After crossing the spikes, the truck became disabled near the canal.

The driver and two occupants fled into Mexico, but agents were able to apprehend nine individuals. They were transported to the Yuma Border Patrol Station for processing.

The second incident happened at 7:45 p.m., as agents were trying to apprehend a group of 27 individuals that entered the U.S. illegally about one mile west of the San Luis port of entry.

Patterson said as an agent approached the group, several subjects began throwing rocks at them and their vehicles as illegal individuals attempted to flee back to Mexico.

"Rock-throwing incidents are an astronomical part of the escalated violence along the border," Patterson said. "But that isn't going to stop us. They don't have enough rocks."

An agent was able to stop the rock attack by using his pepperball gun and 17 individuals were taken into custody. None of the agents was injured, but a vehicle sustained a cracked windshield, side window and mirror.

The Mexican authorities were notified of the incident and the illegal immigrants who were arrested were transported to the Yuma Border Patrol Station for processing.

Violence against Yuma sector agents has increased significantly from Oct. 1 to May 31, with 166 reported incidents compared to 119 during the same period the previous year.