Posted on 04/23/2008 3:45:38 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico -- A U.S. soldier being held by Mexican authorities said he accidentally drove across the border with guns, knives and ammunition while looking for a place to park.
Spc. Richard R. Medina Torres said that after a long night of driving, he had wanted to park in El Paso, Texas, and walk across the border to Ciudad Juarez for breakfast Monday, but ended up steering his 1999 Honda Prelude off Interstate 10, over an international bridge and into Mexico.
"It was just an accident, I didn't mean to drive over here," a teary-eyed Torres said Tuesday afternoon, standing in a hallway of the Mexican federal building where he has been jailed since Monday morning.
Torres, 25, an Iraq war veteran on his way from Fort Hood, Texas, to his mother's house in Fresno, Calif., said he ended up at the border after misunderstanding an El Paso gas station attendant's directions.
"When I saw where I was, I started asking people at the front gate, 'Where can I turn around at?'" said Torres, who speaks no Spanish.
Mexican authorities said Tuesday that Torres stopped at the border to ask where he could park his car and was directed to make a U-turn to go back to the U.S. When he stopped again to ask federal authorities working nearby where to park, the agents started questioning him.
Torres said that when he was asked if he had drugs or guns, he immediately told Mexican officials he was traveling with an AR-15 assault rifle and a .45-caliber handgun. Both are his personal weapons; he said he intended to leave them and his car at his mother's house before deploying to Honduras for a year.
After searching his car, Mexican authorities took Torres into custody and began questioning him, he said. He has not been charged with a crime.
It is illegal to bring guns or ammunition and some types of knives into Mexico and weapons offenses can result in lengthy prison sentences. Torres also had 171 rounds of ammunition and three knives.
Roads leading to the border are dotted with clearly marked signs directing drivers to Mexico and warning against bringing guns or ammunition across the border. Torres said he wasn't paying attention to the signs, instead focusing his attention on looking for a parking lot.
Juarez has been gripped by violence in the last several months as dueling drug cartels have apparently been in a bloody battle for control of the hardscrabble city. In the last several weeks, Mexican federal agents and soldiers have been posted in the city in an attempt to quell the violence.
Torres said he was being treated well. When he wasn't being questioned or speaking with U.S. consular officials he was being kept in a small, private cell with a bed, shower and toilet.
He said he's met with a lawyer and hopes to see a judge in the next few days.
So an entire country is gun free yet it is one of the least safe places to be. Only govt there has guns but the drug-running and violent deaths are comparable to the U.S. Hmmmmmmmm. I thought guns were the problem?
Doesn’t sound too promising for the lad. Hope it works out.
I hate that bridge. El Paso traffic in that vicinity sucks.
Hey, get this straight. You can walk in here illegally with guns and/or knives but don’t GO there with them!!! EVER!!!
Just pay the bribes.
He might want to put in some overtime on the map reading/orienteering course before deploying.
“It is illegal to bring guns or ammunition and some types of knives into Mexico and weapons offenses can result in lengthy prison sentences.”
Mexico, you can kiss my red, white and blue butt.
If our president had any balls, he’d propose an exchange: release our guy within the hour or we will start sending 10 of your prisoners back every hour on the hour.
Yes, if only.
It’s apparent the kid made a simple mistake. He approached the feds. Held since Monday without charges? Like we’d get away with that with their ‘citizens’. I really want to know why we cowtow to Mexico as we do. It’s outrageous. I wish I knew 20 million pissed off AMERICANS who would walk across that border with me and tell Mexico to go to hell. I’m afraid our own government would probably shoot us for that.
Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
I have a friend that has a friend in the hooskow in mexico because he took an AK across the border.
This kid is in serious trouble.
You are right. Howver, “kowtow” is spelled with a “k”. the term is not about cows. It is an Anglicization of a Chinese term for the proper method of bowing to a Chinese emperor.
Just because we don’t enforce our laws doesn’t mean they can’t enforce theirs.
Yeah, I know. I didn’t think anyone was petty enough to care.
Are you really that bored? Mine is even less Chinese. Just the way I like it.
True. Very true.
I wasn't allowed to take my M1 and ammo to moms house when I was a doggie.
You never, ever take guns to Mexico unless you’re on a planned hunting trip with all the appropriate clearances. Usually they don’t care if you made a mistake. THey just lock you up. Eventually, someone finds out you’re locked up.
I’ll bet a fiver that the kids weapons are used in a felony, in El Paso, before the kid gets out of jail.
Let the soldier go. De Oppresso Liber. Interesting case, wouldn’t you say?
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