On August 1, 2023, a routine checkpoint on U.S. Highway 57 turned dangerous when a Border Patrol canine alerted agents to something in the trunk of 26-year-old Kevin Dominguez’s sedan. Inside, they found an undocumented person. In a split-second decision, Dominguez “threw the car in reverse, struck a federal agent, and sped away from the checkpoint.”

He didn’t get far. Dominguez was arrested shortly after and faced federal charges for assaulting a federal officer and transporting an individual unlawfully. Prosecutors emphasized that he “gambled with two lives—the agent’s and the hidden passenger’s—to avoid accountability.”

The injured officer recovered, but the court underscored the seriousness of the act. Dominguez was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release—a punishment intended to serve as a warning beyond a single incident.

The case highlights the dangers at border checkpoints, where routine stops can quickly escalate when split-second decisions endanger lives. Officials stressed that accountability is critical in protecting both law enforcement and those being transported illegally.

Dominguez’s actions serve as a reminder of the risks involved in human smuggling and the consequences of violent choices at the border.