Defendant Charged With Resisting Federal Law Enforcement Officers After Leading Officers on High-Speed Car Chase

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed a criminal complaint against Cristian Rivas-Bonilla, 26, of El Salvador, charging him with resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.

On November 4, 2025, HSI Baltimore Agents traveled to a Camp Springs, Maryland, address to search for Rivas-Bonilla.  Rivas-Bonilla was subject to removal from the United States in connection with a final order of removal to El Salvador from an immigration judge.  After observing Rivas-Bonilla get into a car at a residence, agents activated the emergency lights on their unmarked vehicles and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to arrest Rivas-Bonilla. Two agents’ vehicles were behind Rivas-Bonilla and the other agent’s vehicle directly blocked his path of travel. Agents attempted to confirm Rivas-Bonilla’s identity before arresting him to transport him to the Baltimore Field Office for processing.

Agents exited their vehicles and commanded Rivas-Bonilla to stop his car. The agents were clearly identifiable as law-enforcement officers as they wore tactical vests with police decals.  Rivas-Bonilla reversed his vehicle and drove onto the sidewalk as he attempted to evade HSI agents. Agents then activated their emergency sirens and pursued him.

Rivas-Bonilla continued to disregard agents’ emergency lights and sirens, causing a chase that reached speeds of approximately 70 miles per hour. One agent drove their vehicle directly in front of him, another agent drove their vehicle on the side of him, and the other agent drove their vehicle directly behind him in attempt to bring Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle to a stop.

But Rivas-Bonillaquickly swerved his vehicle to the right to avoid the agents’ attempt to slow him down. Rivas-Bonilla continued driving at high speeds as agents continued their efforts to bring his vehicle to a stop.

Eventually, Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle and two of the agents’ vehicles collided, allowing law enforcement to capture and arrest him.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Additionally, this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Rivas-Bonilla’s initial appearance was in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on November 17, 2025.  He is scheduled to return to the District of Maryland for further proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who are prosecuting this case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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