Video shows federal agent ramming immigration activist's truck in Ventura County
An immigration activist was detained for several hours after a federal agent allegedly rammed his pickup truck in Ventura County on Thursday morning.
Leo Martinez, a well-known activist with the watchdog group VC Defensa, said he was driving around Oxnard after learning that four Immigration and Customs Enforcement cars were patrolling an industrial area.
He admitted to following and observing the agents but claimed he stayed at a distance. He said that he was turning around when the agents tried to keep him from leaving.
"I'm trying to get out and do a few circles, trying to get out," Martinez recalled. "That's when they hit me the first time, and then they came through in the video that shows when they hit me really hard."
While the video doesn't show the first collision, it does show the federal agent's vehicle accelerating and ramming Martinez's truck from the side. Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites said his department received a call reporting an alleged road rage incident and another from ICE agents claiming they were in pursuit of a truck that struck their SUV.
Officers from the Oxnard Police Department responded and pulled Martinez over to the side of the road. Chief Benites said federal agents claimed Martinez had intentionally assaulted them with his pickup.
Martinez disputed the allegation, claiming it was an attempt to intimidate him. He said he didn't stop after the first collision because he wanted to find witnesses.
"I'm not going to pull over in this lonely street where nobody else is around, given how we've seen these videos of Chicago and everywhere else go out," Martinez said. "I'm leaving myself at their mercy.
After being checked for injuries, Martinez said the agents detained him and brought him to the federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles. He said the agents held him in the back of an SUV for several hours before releasing him with charges pending.
"They smashed into me and then tried to say I assaulted them," Martinez said. "The more they keep coming at us, we're not going to be backing down."
Martinez said he plans to be back monitoring ICE activity as soon as tomorrow.
The Department of Homeland Security shared a statement with CBS LA upon request for comment.
"On Oct. 16, 2025, ICE officers were conducting a targeted enforcement operation in Oxnard, California, to locate and apprehend an illegal alien from Mexico who is a registered sex offender," the statement said. "During the operation, officers were confronted by an agitator group, who engaged in the recording and verbal harassment of the officers on scene. During the confrontation with ICE officers, two vehicles were involved in a collision. No injuries were reported. This is an ongoing investigation."
