A man who was shot multiple times by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in central California last week is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday to face federal charges alleging he assaulted a federal officer with his vehicle, according to prosecutors.
Details of the Incident and Charges
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California has charged Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez with assaulting a federal officer. The allegations state that on April 7, Mendoza drove forward and struck a federal agent with his car, then reversed into a law enforcement vehicle after being pulled over in Patterson, a city approximately 75 miles southeast of San Francisco.
Mendoza is expected to appear in court in Sacramento to answer these charges. The Department of Homeland Security reported that ICE agents fired defensive shots at Mendoza after he attempted to drive into them during what was described as an enforcement stop targeting the 36-year-old.
Defense Claims and Disputes
Mendoza's lawyer, Patrick Kolasinski, has asserted that his client panicked and tried to flee when ICE agents blocked his car. Kolasinski explained that Mendoza drove away to escape gunfire, emphasizing, "He is doing everything he can to not run them over." The attorney also contested DHS claims regarding an arrest warrant, stating Mendoza has no criminal record in the U.S. and is not subject to a warrant in El Salvador, where he was previously acquitted of murder.
According to Kolasinski, Mendoza, a dual citizen of El Salvador and Mexico, is engaged to a U.S. citizen, works as a laborer, and is the father of a 2-year-old daughter. He arrived in the U.S. in 2019, though his legal status is disputed by federal officials who claim he is in the country illegally.
Video Evidence and Aftermath
Dashcam footage obtained by KCRA-TV shows three officers around a stopped vehicle. One officer appears to touch the driver’s side window before the car backs up, hitting a vehicle behind it. At least two agents have weapons drawn, pointing at the car, which then pulls forward and drives over the roadway median. The video lacks sound, leaving it unclear when shots were fired or if any words were exchanged.
Mendoza underwent three surgeries for multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the jaw that has left him with difficulty speaking. His fiancée visited him in the hospital over the weekend, and he remains in significant pain, according to his lawyer.
Background and Legal Context
This incident is part of a series of shootings during the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts, which have raised questions about federal immigration practices. A 2019 court document from El Salvador shows Mendoza was acquitted of murder and ordered released, with no mention of gang affiliation, contrary to DHS descriptions of him as a suspected gang member wanted for questioning in a killing.
Kolasinski has stated, "We are prepared to fight them," regarding the allegations. Neither DHS nor ICE have responded to Associated Press requests for comment on the lawyer's claims, leaving the case to unfold in court as Mendoza faces serious federal charges.
