Agent Tries to Stop Boat, Is Pushed Into ocean

SignOnSanDiego.com ^ | August 12, 2007

[khnyny]

SAN DIEGO: A U.S. Customs agent who leaped from a moving patrol boat onto a boat carrying undocumented immigrants was shoved into the ocean during a struggle for control of the fleeing vessel yesterday. The agent jumped aboard the boat as it was speeding south from the waters off Ocean Beach, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The boat first was spotted by a lifeguard rescue boat near the Ocean Beach pier, a lifeguard spokesman said. When lifeguards approached the boat to conduct a safety inspection, the boat took off heading south.

San Diego Harbor Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection were called for assistance and intercepted the boat off the coast of Point Loma, where the Customs agent made his jump.

“He was trying to get control of the vessel to get it to stop,” the Coast Guard spokesman said.

At some point the agent was shoved overboard, and it was unknown whether he was injured because the agency would not comment on the chase. Agents were able to stop the boat and escorted it to Shelter Island, where the five people aboard were interviewed by Border Patrol agents.

[khnyny]

Ping!

[SteveMcKing]

Attempted murder.

[LouAvul]

I’m surprised given the current administation’s attitude toward immigration in general, and illegal immigration in particular, that the agent hasn’t been charged with trespassing.

[khnyny]

The perps “were interviewed”. There’s no mention of an “arrest”, lol.

[stephenjohnbanker]

That’s how I see it!

[stephenjohnbanker]

“The perps “were interviewed”. There’s no mention of an “arrest”, lol”

I noticed that too : )

[RDTF]

so we are left to assume he is ok? sheesh

[flashbunny]

Call Johnny Sutton (Jorge Arbusto’s good friend) and get this agent a jail cell, STAT!

[khnyny]

It may be more than just illegal aliens - it could be smugglers. There’s really not much info. or follow-up.

[freekitty]

Interviewed????????

[khnyny]

so we are left to assume he is ok? sheesh

Oh, nobody really cares about the Agents, doncha' know./s

[Moonman62]

I’m surprised given the current administation’s attitude toward immigration in general, and illegal immigration in particular, that the agent hasn’t been charged with trespassing.

Tack on violation of civil rights for good measure.

[Tai_Chung]

Police interegate. Reporters Interview.

[khnyny]

Interviewed????????

Yes, interviewed.

It really makes you wonder what the hell is happening...

[vetsvette]

At the point where the agent was pushed overboard they should have blown that boat out of the water. Instead, they brought the smugglers in for an “interview” and likely just let them have their boat back to go on their way.

It’s well past time to start sending the smugglers a message.

[khnyny]

It’s a nice euphemism, isn’t it? “Interview” as opposed to “interrogate” and “undocumented immigrants” as opposed to, oh, I don’t know, “illegal aliens/drug smugglers/attempted murderers, etc.”

[gemma0000]

Oh, don’t worry about that. Surely there is a Bush pal somewhere in the Justice Department who is salivating at the prospect of tossing the Border Agent into prison for 12 years for violating the rights of these poor undocumented immigrants who were trying to sneak a boatload of criminals into the U.S. As we all know now, even if the boat contained a ton of drugs it wouldn’t make a difference to Jorge. The Border Patrol Agents are window dressing, and the Bush family vision of a borderless new world order will continue.

[beelzepug]

“...they should have blown that boat out of the water.”

The patrol boats I see around here (Puget Sound), those would be Customs, H/L Security, CG, all have 50 cal. mounted on the bow. They’d make short work of a small boat.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The agent will probably be punished by his department and have to spend his life savings fighting to stay out of jail. I'm sure AG Gonzales is looking to ruin his career right now.