FBI says Coachella man tried to run over Border Patrol agent

A Coachella man has been indicted for trying to run over a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a high-speed police pursuit, the FBI announced Monday.

Ivan Nieves, 20, was charged Friday with one count of forcibly assaulting the agent with his Ford Mustang and causing him injuries, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

Nieves was taken into custody Nov. 3 after he led Border Patrol agents on a chase on Highway 86 in Imperial County, she said.

The agents detained Nieves and tried to question him at a checkpoint, but he drove away, according to the FBI.

Multiple Border Patrol agents followed Nieves, but were unable to catch him.

They put a spike strip on the road to slow him down. Nieves, however, was able to avoid the strip.

Instead, he tried to hit the agent who was removing the spike strip from the road at Highway 86 and 81st Avenue in Thermal, Eimiller said.

The agent’s hand, wrist and knee were injured.

Nieves was eventually stopped and detained, but he resisted arrest, according to the FBI.

Two firearms, including a loaded gun, were found inside his car, Eimiller said.

If Nieves is convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

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