Illegal immigrant indicted in assault on ICE agents in Texas

U.S.

Illegal immigrant indicted in assault on ICE agents in Texas

Jerson Lopez-Sanchez allegedly injured agents during traffic stop while fleeing in Chevrolet Silverado

Rachel Wolf

Brooke Taylor Fox News

Published

January 15, 2026 12:36pm EST

Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for January 15

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com.

NEW

You can now listen to Fox News articles!

An illegal immigrant has been indicted for an assault on federal agents in Texas last month.

Jerson Lopez-Sanchez, 28, a citizen of Honduras, was indicted and charged with three counts of assaulting federal immigration agents, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced on Thursday. The DOJ said that Lopez-Sanchez was in the U.S. illegally.

On Dec. 1, 2025, federal immigration agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle owned by Lopez-Sanchez that contained at least five occupants when the Honduran national allegedly put his vehicle in reverse and injured an agent standing behind it, according to the DOJ.

The indictment, which was filed on Jan. 14, included images of the vehicle in question, which was allegedly a Chevrolet Silverado. The vehicle was allegedly "loaded with heavy equipment and ladders," according to the indictment.

FBI OPENS INVESTIGATION AFTER DRIVER ALLEGEDLY RAMS ICE VEHICLE DURING ARIZONA TRAFFIC STOP ATTEMPT

The maneuver supposedly gave Lopez-Sanchez enough room to drive around the other law enforcement vehicles in an apparent attempt to flee, the DOJ said. The department noted that federal agents were in three separate vehicles and "all were wearing clearly marked law enforcement vests with police identifying insignia as well as carrying federal agent badges."

Law enforcement then began to pursue Lopez-Sanchez with their blue and red flashing lights engaged, according to the DOJ.

With another law enforcement vehicle behind him, Lopez-Sanchez allegedly "made no attempts to apply the brakes to his vehicle as he approached the two ICE agents in a Chrysler van and crossed over opposite lanes of traffic," the indictment states. He then allegedly rammed into the van, causing "significant damage and smoke to rise from the hood" and deploying the vehicle’s airbags, according to the indictment.

Officers from Homeland Security and the FBI conduct immigration enforcement in El Paso, Texas on Thursday, January 30, 2025. (FBI)

ICE DETAINER ISSUED FOR EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL CHARGED WITH KILLING TWO NORTH CAROLINA TEENS

As the third law enforcement vehicle continued to pursue him, Lopez-Sanchez fled for approximately 10 minutes before he stopped the vehicle on a median and all five occupants took off on foot, according to the DOJ.

"The manner in which the Suspect Vehicle was used, by Jerson Lopez- Sanchez, was a deadly and dangerous weapon capable of inflicting death or bodily injury," the indictment states. The term "suspect vehicle" in the indictment refers to the Chevrolet Silverado.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted the attack on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis as an "act of domestic terrorism" during remarks at the southern border in Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem slammed the attack on ICE agents in Minneapolis, Wednesday, as an "act of domestic terrorism" during remarks at the southern border in Texas. (Pool / Fox News)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Lopez-Sanchez was identified as the driver of the vehicle and remains at-large. The DOJ has encouraged anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of Lopez-Sanchez to contact the FBI, saying that those who contact the bureau could "be eligible for a cash reward."

If convicted, Lopez-Sanchez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count of the indictment.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

Illegal immigrant indicted in assault on ICE agents in Texas