The Travis County District Attorney's Office has separately asked federal authorities to halt removal proceedings while the shooting is investigated. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) A Venezuelan delivery driver who was shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer. Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, 28, was shot on September 20 while he was making a DoorDash delivery. Federal prosecutors allege that he struck an ICE officer with his car's side-view mirror before fleeing the scene, leading to a brief vehicle pursuit. According to a federal criminal complaint, ICE officers had identified Garcés Pérez as being subject to a final order of removal. Prosecutors say the officers stopped him after seeing him leave a restaurant and that he initially provided his driving licence and spoke with them. The complaint alleges that Garcés Pérez refused an order to leave his vehicle and then suddenly drove away. As he pulled away, his driver's-side mirror allegedly struck an officer in the torso. An ICE officer identified in court documents as “L.G.” later fired into Garcés Pérez's vehicle, striking him in the back. Prosecutors allege that Garcés Pérez subsequently led officers on a high-speed pursuit and that the officer believed he was attempting to strike him with the vehicle. Garcés Pérez and his attorney have disputed the account. He has said he initially believed the unmarked SUV was an aggressive driver and that he was trying to move his vehicle to a safer location. His legal team has also disputed aspects of the officers' account, including when emergency lights were activated and whether the ICE vehicle struck his car. The circumstances surrounding the shooting have drawn additional scrutiny because the officer who fired the shot was not wearing a body camera. A second officer had a body camera but court documents say it was turned off during part of the pursuit. Garcés Pérez was initially taken to hospital but was later transferred into ICE custody with the bullet still lodged in his back, according to his attorney. He was subsequently taken back to hospital after experiencing worsening symptoms. His legal team has raised concerns about his medical treatment while in detention. A federal judge has temporarily halted his deportation and scheduled a hearing for September 30. The Travis County District Attorney's Office has separately asked federal authorities to halt removal proceedings while the shooting is investigated. If convicted of the federal charge, Garcés Pérez could face up to 20 years in prison, according to prosecutors. The case remains disputed, with federal prosecutors and Garcés Pérez's legal team offering different accounts of the events that led to the shooting. Working as Copy Editor at the Business Desk of Times Now Digital. Dedicated towards crafting interesting financial stories. Previously covered financi... View More