On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported a dramatic incident involving a Honduran individual accused of being in the U.S. illegally, who allegedly crashed into a law enforcement vehicle in New Jersey during an arrest attempt. This action prompted an ICE agent to disable the suspect’s vehicle by shooting out its tires.
The tense encounter, captured on video, took place in Roxbury Township, Morris County, approximately 35 miles northwest of Newark. According to ICE, the suspect, identified as Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas, attempted to avoid arrest by ramming a law enforcement vehicle, nearly hitting an officer in the process.
Footage from the scene shows an ICE agent drawing his firearm during the incident, as both the suspect’s pickup truck and the law enforcement vehicle ended up in a nose-to-nose standoff on a snow-covered roadside.
Images from the scene depict the aftermath of the collision during the ICE operation in Roxbury Township, where authorities assert that the suspect deliberately rammed the police vehicle. The video was shared by @kaylab_823 via Storyful.
In the video, the agent is seen aiming his weapon at the suspect’s truck. Eventually, Lopez-Banegas exits the vehicle with his hands raised, cautiously moving away from the officer.
“In his attempt to evade capture, Lopez-Banegas used his vehicle to ram a law enforcement car and tried to run over an officer,” explained a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security.
“Following his training, the officer defensively used his firearm and shot out the tires of the vehicle to stop the threat. Thankfully, no one was injured. Officers arrested Banegas and took him into ICE custody.”
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent stands with his firearm drawn after a vehicle collision during an arrest attempt in Roxbury Township, New Jersey. (@kaylab_823 via Storyful)
Lopez-Banegas’ criminal history includes drug trafficking charges, drug possession and driving under the influence, DHS said. In 2021, a judge issued him an order of removal.
Acting New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said her office is investigating the incident.
“We are actively investigating an incident involving ICE ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) in which a firearm was discharged in Roxbury Township earlier today. There are no known injuries,” Davenport said.
A suspect exits a pickup truck and raises his hands after authorities said he rammed a law enforcement vehicle during an ICE arrest attempt in Roxbury Township, New Jersey. (@kaylab_823 via Storyful)
“Local law enforcement secured the scene with the cooperation of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is conducting an independent investigation,” Davenport added. “We have also been in communication with federal, state, county, and local law enforcement partners.”
The incident comes as Department of Homeland Security said officers are facing a 3,200% increase in vehicle attacks and a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them as they try to arrest criminal illegal aliens.
