California Man Sues Federal Government For $25 Million
A father of three alleges an ICE officer shot him without warning near a bus stop before prosecutors dropped his assault charges.
By Luis Medina ·
Carlos Jimenez, a father of three from Ontario, California, filed a federal lawsuit on Friday seeking $25 million in damages from the government. The complaint alleges he was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in October 2025 and subsequently subjected to malicious prosecution.
On October 30, 2025, Jimenez was driving to work at a food pantry around 7 a.m. He approached ICE agents conducting a nearby operation to warn them that children were arriving at an adjacent bus stop. According to the complaint, Jimenez moved his vehicle calmly and slowly while speaking to the officers.
An officer identified as Eusebio Ortiz pointed a firearm at Jimenez’s face and threatened to shoot if he did not leave, the suit states. Audio from the officer’s radio supports these claims. Jimenez attempted a three-point turn because his vehicle was blocked by other police cars. Ortiz fired multiple shots into the car without warning, striking Jimenez in the back and right shoulder.
The lawsuit argues there was no officer in Jimenez’s path when he was shot and that officers lacked probable cause to stop or fire upon him. After the shooting, FBI agents followed Jimenez to the hospital. The complaint alleges they interfered with his medical care by removing a nurse and preventing him from speaking to staff.
FBI agents later moved Jimenez from his hospital bed into a waist restraint while a bullet remained lodged in his body. They drove him back to the shooting scene for an interrogation. The suit claims officers told Jimenez not to ruin their vehicle while he was bleeding and vomiting in the van.
The Department of Homeland Security initially stated that Jimenez attempted to run officers over by reversing at them. The Justice Department charged Jimenez with assault on a federal officer using a deadly weapon. The criminal complaint described him as rapidly accelerating in reverse toward an officer, despite the department previously calling the officer’s shots defensive.
Jimenez’s legal team claims the criminal charges were fabricated. The suit notes that the criminal complaint included no statement from the officer claiming he felt endangered. It also alleges the FBI falsely claimed two neighbors witnessed the incident and confirmed there was room for Jimenez to pull forward. Both neighbors denied making those statements when interviewed by the defense.
In May, a judge ordered the government to produce records of agents’ text messages. Prosecutors then agreed to a diversion agreement, which allowed the charges to be dropped in late October if Jimenez met certain conditions. The charges were formally dismissed last week. The lawsuit suggests prosecutors sought this resolution to avoid disclosing communications and deposing the FBI agent who allegedly fabricated witness accounts.
Jimenez still has bullet fragments near his lung. The suit seeks compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and violations of excessive force, assault, and false arrest. A Department of Justice spokesperson in Los Angeles said via email that Jimenez could have taken the case to trial but requested the diversion agreement.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment and referred questions to the Justice Department. The FBI also declined to comment. Jimenez’s case mirrors that of Francisco Longoria, another southern California man shot by ICE last year during a traffic stop and later charged. The Justice Department has prosecuted 113 people for crimes against immigration officers since last spring. As of mid-September, 33 of those charges had been dismissed and nine defendants were acquitted by juries.
