Wilber Rafael Garces-Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national, faces federal charges for assaulting a federal officer after being shot by an ICE agent during a vehicle pursuit in Austin earlier this month. Prosecutors claim that Garces-Perez refused to exit his car when instructed and hit an officer with his side-view mirror before fleeing; he could receive up to 20 years if convicted. The incident details vary, as Garces-Perez disputes the officers' account of their initial encounter and the vehicle collision during the stop.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
A Venezuelan national who was shot by an ICE officer following a vehicle pursuit in Austin earlier this month has been charged with assaulting, resisting, interfering with and impeding a federal officer, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
asserted
Department → shoot → officer
Federal prosecutors allege that Wilber Rafael Garces-Perez, 28, refused ICE officers' commands to exit his vehicle during a targeted traffic stop before speeding away and striking one officer in the torso with his driver's side-view mirror.
asserted
Perez → allege → mirror
Garces-Perez faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted, according to DOJ.
uncertain
Perez → face → DOJ
According to the complaint, officers first spotted Garces-Perez's vehicle outside a restaurant, ran its license plate and confirmed that an immigration judge had issued a final order of removal against him before initiating the stop.
uncertain
judge → accord → stop
The accounts differ over whether the vehicles made contact as officers stopped Garces-Perez.
asserted
officers → differ → Perez
The officer told investigators there was no contact between the vehicles, while Garces-Perez claimed the ICE SUV's maneuver caused a collision before the officers approached him.
asserted
officers → tell → him
During the encounter, Garces-Perez provided officers with his driver's license, according to the complaint.
uncertain
Perez → provide → complaint
The officers described the initial encounter as "pleasant and not aggressive," according to the complaint.
uncertain
officers → describe → complaint
After officers instructed Garces-Perez to place the vehicle in park and step out, body camera footage shows him abruptly closing his window and driving away, according to the complaint.
uncertain
him → instruct → complaint
Garces-Perez later told federal investigators that he disregarded the officers' command to exit the vehicle and drove away, according to the complaint.
uncertain
he → tell → complaint
The complaint states that he was read his Miranda rights in Spanish, said he understood them and agreed to speak with investigators without an attorney present.
asserted
he → state → attorney
As he drove away, Garces-Perez's driver's side-view mirror struck one of the officers in the torso, according to the complaint.
uncertain
mirror → drive → complaint
According to the complaint, ICE officers pursued Garces-Perez through commercial and residential areas with emergency lights and sirens activated.
uncertain
lights → accord → areas
The officer wearing a body camera lost sight of both Garces-Perez and the second ICE officer while requesting assistance from a DPS dispatcher and then turned off his camera, according to the complaint.
uncertain
officer → wear → complaint
The second officer, who later fired his weapon, was not equipped with a body camera.
asserted
who → fire → camera
The second officer later called his partner and reported that Garces-Perez had attempted to strike him with his vehicle, prompting the officer to fire his service weapon, according to the complaint.
Garces-Perez was struck by a bullet in his upper back, according to the complaint. He told investigators that the officer's SUV rammed his vehicle to force it into a spinout and that, after he was shot, the officer opened his driver's door, removed the keys from the ignition and told him to remain inside while an ambulance was en route.
uncertain
ambulance → call → route
Garces-Perez's immigration case has also been the subject of competing claims.
uncertain
case → compete → claims
Fox News previously reported that his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said the order was issued after a hearing notice was sent to an old address despite Garces-Perez having updated his address with the court.
asserted
Perez → report → court
ICE has disputed claims surrounding his immigration status, saying his work authorization expired in 2025 and that a work permit does not itself confer lawful immigration status.
uncertain
permit → dispute → status
His attorney has said Garces-Perez remains seriously ill and has a bullet lodged in his body while being held at an ICE detention facility.
asserted
bullet → say → facility
Lincoln-Goldfinch, responding to the criminal complaint in a social media post, called for DHS to release the body camera footage.
asserted
DHS → respond → footage
"The criminal complaint also provides another critical piece of information: one of the officers involved in the incident had a body camera that was turned off at some point during the pursuit.
asserted
that → provide → pursuit
We have not seen that footage.
asserted
We → see → footage
DHS must release the body camera footage immediately and provide full transparency to the American public," Lincoln-Goldfinch wrote.
asserted
Goldfinch → release → public
"He is now facing proceedings in both a federal criminal case and his federal immigration habeas case.
asserted
He → face → case
We are working through what these developments mean, and we will share additional information as we are able."
DOJ said Garces-Perez made his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2.
asserted
hearing → work → Oct.
The Aporia
