Show Suspected drug smuggler kills agent Richard Marosi Los Angeles Times v The road off-road enthusiasts were revving their dune buggies and terrain all-terrain vehicles Saturday morning when a brown Hummer suddenly cut into the campground und The man at atthe atthe atthe the wheel a suspected drug smuggler was heading to Mexico and fast US U.S. Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar the only person in the way threw a spike strip in front of the car The Hummer sped up It looked like the man swerved and hit the agent intentionally one witness said Aguilar struck by the Hummer going an estimated 55 mph died within minutes Sunday officials released more details about the attack in the Imperial Sand Dunes recreation area which comes amid a surge in assaults against US U.S. Border Patrol Agents US U.S. authorities said the suspect drove over the dunes back to Mexico along with another vehicle The FBI which is handling the investigation said Mexican authorities were assisting in inthe inthe inthe the investigation Aguilar 32 a year six-year veteran was part of an anti- anti smuggling team patrolling this scenic landscape of sand dunes and trailer- trailer dotted campgrounds in southeast California On weekends when the dunes fill with riders Mexican smugglers trying to blend in slip across the open open border in road off-road vehicles Authorities suspect the Hummer was carrying drugs and crossed with another vehicle The suspects got goton goton goton on Interstate 8 and drove west but when they saw Border Patrol following they turned off the freeway and started speeding back to Mexico On an access road to the Buttercup campground just two miles from the border Aguilar was waiting for them at an intersection Authorities said it was unclear whether the suspect intentionally ran over the agent or swerved to avoid the spike strip At the intersection Sunday visitors left flowers and a card and erected an American flag Many campsites flew their American flags at half staff Its horrible but not surprising said James R. R Broxholme a vendor of dune buggy parts who said Border Patrol pursuits were a regular occurrence at the campground which is about 15 miles from the Arizona border Nationwide assaults against Border Patrol agents increased from in 20 2006 6 to in 2007 Authorities said clashes were likely to continue as smugglers respond to up beefed border security with more aggressive measures I think it was just a matter of time Agents are getting assaulted every day said Jeremy a Border Patrol spokesman Aguilar originally from fromEl fromEl El EI Paso Texas was married a and had two children said |