A man who recently refused to comply with an internal checkpoint in Pine Valley, Calif. filmed a border patrol officer smashing his way into...
A man who recently refused to comply with an internal checkpoint in Pine Valley, Calif. filmed a border patrol officer smashing his way into his vehicle while he was inside. He was then detained for over nine hours before being released without charge.When Robert Trudell of Yuma, Ariz. was stopped at the checkpoint miles from the border a few weeks ago, he refused to wind down his window and speak to the Border Patrol officials, or consent to a warrantless search of his car.Instead he picked up his camera and started photographing the agents that began to surround the vehicle. Trudell had rigged his car up with several video cameras in anticipation of passing through the checkpoint, having previously driven through it in the preceding days. Trudell is actively opposed to internal checkpoints and makes a habit of protesting them by filming his non compliance and then uploading the footage to his YouTube channel. After several minutes of refusing to comply and photographing the agents, they brought out a drug sniffing dog, which failed to turn up any narcotics. Agents then consulted the Sheriff before literally smashing through the car window, sending shards of glass towards Trudell’s face and torso. The agents then ordered Trudell to get out of his car, before putting him in handcuffs. Responding to queries on the incident from news websites and blogs, Trudell explained what happened after the cameras stopped rolling. “I was detained for 9 hours following, handcuffed for 6, fingerprinted, photographed, criminal history check, FBI Interview looked up, stripped everything but my shoelaces, ID and Credit Cards and placed on foot in El Cajon that night at 10:30. The ACLU was waiting to see if they are pursuing Criminal Charges against me before filing a Civil Suit against them.–Rob” Trudell also gave the following comments to reporters with The Blaze: “The event started in Pine Valley, California, at 12:35 in the afternoon and I was released on foot in the city of El Cajon, California at 10:30 p.m. that night by two plain clothes agents driving an unmarked black Dodge Charger,” Trudell explained. “The agents placed a brown paper bag in the parking lot which contained my shoelaces, ID and credit cards along with asset forfeiture receipts for my computers, cameras, car, phone and glasses.” He also clarified that he has not been charged with any offense that he is aware of. Trudell gave more details in answers to questions posed to him by viewers of his video: Q. What happened after? A. “I was hoping the window would be broken open. I bought a spare ahead of time. Afterward everything I had was confiscated other than ID and Credit Cards. They held my Computers, Cameras, Phone for 21 days with no sight of when I’d get it back. I was handcuffed for 6 hours of my 9 hours in Detention. I wasn’t offered a toilet for most of that time. I was set on the? streets of El Cajon at 10:30pm on foot 200 miles from home and 100 miles from my destination. I was denied covering events. –Rob Less
