EVERETT — A Mexican citizen, who had allegedly been living illegally in Stanwood, appeared in federal court Monday to face two counts of assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon.
Victor Vivanco-Reyes, 25, was arrested Friday on Camano Island and will remain detained until a hearing scheduled for Friday, according to a press release.
Agents from various federal agencies, including the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations were searching for Vivanco-Reyes because of his alleged criminal convictions and lack of citizenship status in the United States.
On May 22, Homeland Security agents spotted Vivanco-Reyes in a residential neighborhood of Mount Vernon. Agents activated the lights and sirens on their cars to get Vivanco-Reyes to stop, the press release said. After pausing briefly at a driveway, Vivanco-Reyes allegedly accelerated away from the officers at a high rate of speed. Because of the danger in a residential area, agents terminated the pursuit.
Around 9:30 a.m. Friday, agents located a work truck associated with Vivanco-Reyes’s apparent employer. The work truck was towing a trailer on Cascade View Drive on Camano Island.
Using three different vehicles, federal agents attempted to block the north and southbound lanes in order to arrest Vivanco-Reyes. Once agents activated their lights, Vivanco-Reyes allegedly accelerated at one of the federal vehicles, striking it on the front passenger side, according to the press release.
The truck and trailer hit another government vehicle a short distance away before driving into a ditch and hitting a power pole. Vivanco-Reyes tried to flee on foot before he was ultimately arrested by agents.
Two of the agents who were injured in the collisions were treated at area hospitals with undisclosed injuries. Assault on a federal agent with a deadly weapon is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine, the press release said.
Michael Henneke: 425-339-3431; michael.henneke@heraldnet.com; X: @ihenpecked.
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