Venezuelan man indicted for assaulting ICE officer in Austin

A federal grand jury has indicted Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national, on charges of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and obstructing a federal officer. The indictment stems from a September incident in Austin, Texas, where Garces Perez, a DoorDash driver, allegedly used his vehicle as a deadly weapon during a traffic stop involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Prosecutors allege that after being identified as having a final order of removal, Garces Perez struck an officer with his driver’s side mirror and led agents on a high-speed chase through residential neighborhoods. During the encounter, an ICE officer fired into the vehicle’s rear window, striking Garces Perez in the back. He was hospitalized with a gunshot wound that left a bullet lodged in his spine.

While the federal indictment moves forward, the Austin Police Department is conducting a separate investigation into the shooting. Local officials and Democratic lawmakers have previously called for independent oversight of the incident. Garces Perez faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.