WOODLAND, Calif. —
A 37-year-old man was struck by a federal immigration vehicle Tuesday morning while documenting ICE activity, an incident captured on multiple videos and under investigation by Woodland police.
The collision was reported at 9:38 a.m. in the area of Clover Street and College Street, police said. The man, identified as Antonio Moreida, sustained minor injuries. He was evaluated at the scene by medical personnel before being taken to the hospital.
Woodland police said the vehicle that struck him was a Chevrolet Tahoe operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who were conducting an operation in the area.
The ICE driver immediately notified Woodland police dispatch of the collision and cooperated with investigators, police said.
“I heard the engine because it was smashing down the street, and that’s how I turned my focus from that to the vehicle, and just like that, they closed in on me,” Moreida told KCRA 3.
Videos show different angles of the incident
Video shared by the advocacy group NorCal Resist shows two unmarked SUVs passing each other. The camera follows one SUV as it drives away, showing its brake lights before it swerves to the left. The footage captures the moment Moreida, who is in the roadway, falls to the ground and rolls onto his back as the SUV continues driving.
Another angle from a home surveillance camera shows Moreida walking alongside and touching one of the SUVs before it drives out of frame. He then continues walking in the middle of the street, holding a GoPro camera. Moments later, another SUV enters the frame, its engine revving before it swerves and strikes Moreida with its right front side. The vehicle then drives away.
Moreida and a witness speak out
Moreida said he was at the scene to document the activity of ICE agents when the collision occurred.
“Definitely seemed to swerve into me rather than try to avoid me based off of where I was in the street,” he said.
Steve Hanes, a Woodland resident who witnessed the incident, described what he saw.
“He went right up to the car and was taking pictures on his phone. I guess they didn’t really like that because they said to step away, so he stepped away, he went down there, and then I heard a car accident, like skid marks, and some car hit the guy who was taking pictures here,” Hanes said.
Moreida explained that his GoPro camera served to document ICE activity and to record what happened in case something went wrong.
“Getting hit by a moving vehicle isn’t something you just brush off, so definitely feel sore and got my knees scraped up, my hands scraped up, you know that hit I took it to the chest, so once I fell, I rolled, the wind was knocked out of me,” he said.
Moreida later spoke at a Woodland City Council meeting on Tuesday evening and drew community support.
Woodland police give an update on the investigation
Woodland police said Tuesday evening that investigators worked throughout the day to gather evidence, take statements and review relevant audio and video.
“As part of that work, investigators obtained and reviewed additional video footage showing multiple perspectives of the incident, including the interaction between the pedestrian and federal personnel in the minutes before the collision,” Woodland police said. “This footage is being reviewed alongside other evidence to help establish the full sequence of events, including the actions of both the pedestrian and the driver.”
Woodland police said they did not participate in the federal operation and will investigate the collision independently and submit a complete investigation to the district attorney’s office for review.
“I’ve seen the video myself, and I find it very troubling. I understand why people in our community are upset and worried,” Woodland Police Chief Ryan Kinnan said in a statement. “Our responsibility is to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the facts. We recognize the concerns surrounding federal law enforcement activity in Woodland, and the safety and well-being of our community members remain a priority.”
KCRA 3 has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment and has not yet heard back.
The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office said it could not comment at this time as the matter is under active investigation by Woodland police.
Defense attorney says the federal government could take over the case
Sacramento defense attorney Mark Reichel said from watching the videos he thought this could be a case of assault with a deadly weapon, and federal agents could be charged by the state.
But even if the district attorney decided to file charges, the case may not go before a judge because the federal government could take over the prosecution, he said.
“If the DA in Yolo County files a criminal charge, and the U.S. attorney here in Sacramento can come in federally, take the case to federal court, and then prosecute it themselves. And if the Trump administration is saying do not prosecute, we know they’re not going to,” Reichel said.
Reichel also said identifying the agent who was driving could be difficult. He noted that if the federal government does not release the agent’s identity, there would be no one to prosecute.
California lawmakers speak out
U.S. House Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents the Woodland area, issued the following statement.
“ICE cannot continue to terrorize our communities. I am in communication with local law enforcement, who have informed me that ICE was operating the vehicle in question and that an investigation is underway. No one is above the law. ICE’s actions have contributed to growing distrust and fear within our communities, making transparency and accountability all the more critical. Members of our community need to feel safe.”
Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry said on social media, “Our community deserves answers and accountability.”
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