VIDEO: Salvadoran Illegal Immigrant Crashed into Motorcycle in Road Rage Attack, Says Sheriff

Police in Sarasota, Florida, arrested an illegal immigrant from El Salvador after a video showed him crashing his car into a motorcycle rider in an alleged road rage incident. Immigration officers placed a detainer on the suspect who is now charged with aggravated battery and driving without a valid license.

Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight reported that his deputies arrested 30-year-old Magdiel Medrano-Bonilla after a video showed him crashing into a motorcycle rider, The sheriff said the crash appeared to be a road rage incident.

Following the release of the video, deputies found the vehicle that Medrano-Bonilla attempted to destroy in an attempt to avoid prosecution, the sheriff stated. The suspect allegedly stripped the vehicle id tags, all four doors, and the windows he explained.

Immigration officials detained Medrano-Bonilla after he illegally crossed the U.S. border into Texas in March 2014, the sheriff said. Immigration officers released the Salvadoran illegal immigrant under President Barack Obama’s catch and release policies. A notice to appear set a December 2019 court date for a deportation.hearing.

The video showed that a Mazda 3 hatchback intentionally swerved into a motorcyclist causing the motorcycle driver to crash, sheriff’s office officials said in a written statement. The victim sustained several injuries from the crash.

Investigators found text messages on Medrano-Bonilla’s phone indicating he planned to destroy the vehicle to avoid criminal charges.

“This is another example of people illegally coming into our community to commit crimes.” Sheriff Knight said in a written statement. “We have had this conversation time and time again but the problem doesn’t seem to be going away. When individuals come into our community and victimize those who live here, I take it personally. Thankfully though, through our partnership with ICE, we have been able to quickly notify their agency and look forward to them prioritizing this case so Medrano-Bonilla will no longer have an opportunity to commit crimes in Sarasota County.”

Prosecutors charged Medrano-Bonilla with Aggravated Battery and Operating a Vehicle Without a License. He is being held in the Sarasota County jail without bond. The sheriff said he is coordinating with immigration officials to “determine the next steps.