The Indio Police Department responded to a traffic collision that occurred on the 46000 block of Vargas Road in Indio, California, according to a statement received by L.A. TACO from the Indio Police Department. Inside the vehicle were a 34-year-old male, who was driving the vehicle, and three children.
“During the investigation, officers learned that agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were searching for a person and vehicle they had previously attempted to stop in Salton City. Before being located by ICE, the vehicle, a Ford Focus, was involved in a traffic collision and struck a mailbox that was mounted on a block wall” said the Indio Police Department.
According to the statement, the children were not seriously injured.
“The three children were transported to a local hospital as a precaution for evaluation, where they will be reunited with their mother,” said the Indio Police Department.
ICE agents detained the 34-year-old male driver who they were pursuing “...for an immigration violation,” and he was also transported to a local hospital as a precaution.
“The Indio Police Department’s involvement was limited to responding to the traffic collision, ensuring roadway safety, and coordinating appropriate medical response. The Indio Police Department was not involved in any ICE enforcement or investigative actions and did not participate in the ICE operation,” said the Indio Police Department.
A child can be heard crying out “Papa!” in agony while reaching out for his father who is being dragged into a SUV in a video posted by @760today on Instagram. At one point, the agent grabs and then pin the child.
The man recording the video can be heard saying, “Said he had papers and everything too.”
Another video shows a man being lifted up and carried away by three masked federal immigration agents in a video posted by @peopleoverpapers on Instagram.
“Look at how those people's poor car ended up,” said a witness in Spanish who was recording the crash.
Video obtained by L.A. TACO, through a source who would like to remain anonymous, shows three masked agents near the crashed car, one wearing a Homeland Security Investigations vest.
A crashed grey SUV is shown in the footage with doors ajar and airbags deployed. A carseat can be seen in the backseat. The front end of the vehicle is smashed up. Another photo shows an Enforcement and Removal Operations agent at the scene as well.
“That seems like a crime to me,” said a woman in Spanish who witnessed the incident. “They can’t be following a car with children inside that way, I mean they didn’t know if there was children inside but all the same. Imagine if they killed those kids?”
The woman said the street was closed down for about an hour and a half. The woman said that the crashed vehicle was quickly towed away.
L.A. TACO reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. We will update this story if we hear back.
