(NewsNation) — Authorities in Texas charged a Honduran man with assault Thursday after he allegedly injured three ICE agents during a traffic stop in December.
During a press conference, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas announced it is charging Jerson Lopez-Sanchez, who is not in custody, with three counts of assault of a federal agent. The office is now calling on the public’s assistance to locate him.
According to the office, the 28-year-old, who authorities say entered the country unlawfully, rammed his vehicle into the vehicles of the federal agents during the traffic stop in Lewisville on Dec. 1. One of the federal agents had a leg outside his vehicle that was injured when Lopez-Sanchez backed up. The office said the two other agents were injured after positioning their vehicle between Lopez-Sanchez and his escape route.
After leading the officers on a brief chase, the department said Lopez-Sanchez escaped on foot with four other people who were in the car. The office said three of those passengers were ultimately detained.
“Vehicles in the hands of individuals who intend to obstruct or evade law enforcement are deadly weapons,” Jay Combs, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said. “When someone runs down an ICE officer or any federal or local law enforcement officer, those deadly weapons act as battering rams. And it is a violent attack, and it will not be tolerated.”
Lopez-Sanchez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count of the indictment if convicted.