Man indicted after video shows van driving at Border Patrol in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — Federal prosecutors say a man in Charlotte is facing charges after allegedly driving a van into a Border Patrol vehicle and leading a pursuit Sunday.

Channel 9 obtained video of part of the incident, which shows a Sprinter van evading officers near University City Boulevard before driving away.

This is taking place as immigration officers started an operation this weekend in Charlotte to arrest people who are undocumented.

According to a federal indictment filed on Monday, the driver in the van was identified as 24-year-old Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez.

Federal investigators said in an affidavit that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were in a public parking lot near a salvage lot on N. Tryon Street when an agent spotted a white Sprinter van that had followed him earlier from an operation.

The indictment says agents tried to make contact with Martinez to warn him to stop following Border Patrol operations. Martinez then drove away “aggressively and at a high rate of speed,” and avoided officers by “swerving in and out of traffic, crossing medians and sidewalks, as well as driving into oncoming traffic down North Tryon Street.”

Authorities say in the indictment that at one point, Martinez drove the van into a SUV that had four federal officers inside and hit the SUV’s right-front fender.

Martinez was later caught after being boxed in by other vehicles, and he was taken into custody. Officers said they found a firearm in a bag in the vehicle.

Authorities said Martinez told agents “he was attempting to locate Border Patrol to confirm their locations and upload pictures into an invitation-only Instagram group chat.” Martinez said he took photos of Border Patrol officers at a U.S. Post Office on N. Tryon Street and then started following them to the parking lot. Martinez allegedly circled the parked vehicles twice and took pictures. One officer “grabbed the handle of Martinez’s van and attempted to open the door, [and] Martinez accelerated the van away while the Border Patrol Officer pounded on the sprinter van.”

The Department of Homeland Security said one officer was hurt in the incident.

Martinez, who CBP Commander Greg Bovino identified as a citizen, is facing a felony charge of assault, resisting and impeding a federal officer.

Over 130 people were arrested by CBP officers across Saturday and Sunday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Channel 9 heard from business owners and neighbors who spotted agents across Charlotte through the weekend.

We’re working on getting more details, check back for updates.

(VIDEO: DHS: At least 130 arrested in first two days of Charlotte Border Patrol operation)