Image Credit: USBP 
An illegal alien is facing a slew of charges after he tried to run over a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agent before crashing into another law enforcement vehicle, authorities say.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) just released details about the incident, which unfolded on June 25 in Puerto Rico.
USBP Ramey Sector agents approached a vehicle in San Juan and confronted the driver, who was engaged in “suspected illegal activity.”
“As they approached, the smell of marijuana filled the air – the driver was too busy smoking to answer questions. Then, the driver sped off, accelerating towards the agents and nearly running them over,” USBP Chief Michael Banks explained.
The driver then crashed into a USBP vehicle before he and the passenger bailed out and attempted to flee on foot.
Both individuals were quickly apprehended.
The driver was identified as 20-year-old Bernis Díaz de la Cruz, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic.
Díaz has been charged with obstructing and resisting a federal officer and assault of a federal officer through the use of a dangerous weapon and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
“Thanks to the vigilance our agents and coordination with our federal partners, the defendant will now face justice under federal immigration law, reinforcing that violations of U.S. sovereignty will not go unchecked,” Ramey Sector Chief Patrol Agent Reggie Johnson said.
“Assaults on any federal agent will not be tolerated. Those who choose to commit such acts will be held fully accountable under the law. Violence against law enforcement is an attack on the rule of law and public safety — and it will be met with swift and decisive justice.”
