Suit Filed Over Southern California Border Patrol Chase Death

June 19, 2013

The parents of a man who died when his car burst into flames during a Border Patrol chase in San Diego County is suing the government for wrongful death.

Twenty-five-year-old Alex Martin of Texas died in March of 2012. Authorities say Border Patrol agents saw him driving the wrong way on Interstate 8 near Pine Valley and gave chase.

A spike strip blew the car tires when it left the Interstate. An agent fired a Taser electrical stun gun into the car, which exploded in flames.

U-T San Diego reported the lawsuit, filed Friday, argues the Taser shouldn’t have been used because there was a chance of flammable fumes being present.

The paper says a U.S. Department of Justice spokesman declined to comment on the suit.

Topics Lawsuits California

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