The U.S. Department of Justice has dismissed charges against a U.S. citizen accused of ramming her car into immigration agents who shot her during a raid in Chicago, Illinois last month, according to national media reports.
Federal prosecutors filed a motion Thursday to dismiss charges against Miramar Martinez, who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent on Oct. 4.
A motion was also filed to dismiss the charges against Anthony Ruiz, another U.S. citizen who was involved in the incident that occurred in the South Side area of Chicago amid heavy immigration enforcement.
Marimar Martínez, 30, and Anthony Ruiz had been charged for allegedly using their vehicles to assault and impede the work of federal agents.
Initially, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Border Patrol agents conducting an operation in the city were followed by a “convoy” of vehicles, which were driving in an “aggressive and erratic” manner.
The defendants then allegedly intentionally crashed into a van driven by Border Patrol agent Charles Exum, who got out of the van and fired five shots at Marimar Martinez, according to the indictment.
The woman drove out of the area injured, as did Anthony Ruiz.
Both were arrested later that day.
Hours after the shooting, the FBI returned the vehicle that had been struck by the defendants to Exum, who drove it from Chicago to Maine – more than 1,700 kilometers – and did not send an evidence preservation email until 12 days after the incident, according to information cited by FOX.
The Department of Justice has not explained why it dismissed the indictment against the two citizens.
This is not the first time that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been forced to drop charges against U.S. citizens involved in incidents related to immigration raids.
In Los Angeles they have dismissed several indictments as well as lost in court cases, after judges have not found sufficient merit.
U.S. citizens have sued President Donald Trump’s administration civilly for up to $50 million for unjustified arrests and use of excessive force.
With information from EFE
