Zavala v. United States, Civ. A. No. SA-73-CA-283.
| Decision Date | 26 March 1974 |
| Docket Number | Civ. A. No. SA-73-CA-283. |
| Citation | 373 F. Supp. 954 |
| Parties | Elvira Vasquez ZAVALA for herself and as next friend of Maria Guadalupe Zavala Vasquez, a minor v. UNITED STATES of America Acting Through its Agents the Immigration and Naturalization Service. |
| Court | U.S. District Court — Western District of Texas |
Albert Armendariz, Sr., El Paso, Tex., for plaintiff.
Edward M. Johnson, Asst. U. S. Atty., San Antonio, Tex., for defendant.
The case is before the Court on the motion of Government to dismiss. The bases set forth in the motion are lack of jurisdiction of the subject matter and that the Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under the exclusionary provisions of U.S.C. Title 28 § 2680(h).
The basic facts of the case arise out of a border incident which occurred on May 26, 1971. One William S. Hunter, a Border Patrol Agent assigned to Presidio, Texas, completed his tour of duty at midnight on May 25, 1971 and returned to his residence at D & D Trailer Park, Presidio, Texas. Fifteen minutes later, 12:15 A.M., on May 26, 1971, while conversing with Immigration Inspector Thomas L. Harrison, an old model Chevrolet pickup was observed heading north on U.S. 67, and appeared to be laboring under an extremely heavy load. Within three minutes a Presidio County Deputy Sheriff making his rounds was requested by Border Patrol Agent Hunter and Inspector Harrison to make use of his vehicle to stop the pickup truck since the Sheriff's vehicle had both a red flashing light and siren. At that time the United States agents suspected that the load was marihuana, stolen merchandise or illegal aliens. At a point about four miles north of Presidio, Texas on U.S. 67, the suspect vehicle was overtaken and the Deputy Sheriff turned on his red light but the suspect vehicle failed to heed the light. The Deputy Sheriff then sounded his siren, in conjunction with his red light which the suspect vehicle failed to heed. The vehicle then commenced to zig zag from one side of the pavement to the other, slowed down and drove on the shoulder of the highway and two males were observed to alight and run from the passenger side of the pickup. The driver then sped up and attempted to ram the Deputy Sheriff's vehicle to no avail and then in rapid succession, three gun flashes were seen coming from the driver's side of the pickup truck. The fire was returned in an attempt to puncture the rear tires of the pickup truck. Both rear tires were punctured but the driver managed to guide his vehicle to the extreme left hand side of the highway, where he abandoned the vehicle and made his escape into the woods and other vegetation bordering the highway. Officer Hunter attempted to pursue the driver but lost him in the darkness. It was then discovered that nine male illegal aliens were in the rear of the pickup truck, one of whom was plaintiff's decedent, shot in the exchange of fire, and who eventually died. His widow now is suing the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The Government in its motion to dismiss, as aforesaid, takes the position that the death falls within the Assault and Battery exception to the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h).
The plaintiff attempts to base her claim on negligence. The two sections of the Restatement of Torts, 2nd Section 21 and Section 131 seem to be applicable to this case. They read as follows:
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