U.S. Soldier held in Mexico on Weapons charge

[Zoogster]

He attempted to turn around in Mexico and got caught so I guess we are suppose to assume there was no place to turn around on the US side of the border.

From what I've heard from the folks who have lived in that area, the traffic and traffic patterns can force you across the border should you end up in the wrong lane of the highway - and no, there is nowhere to turn around. Heck, I've had it happen to me in NoVA during rushhour.

This is correct in several border crossings. Somone in a far left lane who finds themselves in sudden stop and go traffic just before the border will be unable to get over on a 5 lane highway before crossing, and attempting to do so raises the red flags of everyone around.

I have had the same thing happen to someone else driving who I was with because they simply stayed on the freeway. The freeway leads to the border crossing, and there was no way to turn around without crossing if you got too close. I was taking a nap during a long drive and awoke while we were about to go through the crossing. We crossed over and then back, and were asked if we had any of certain items while dogs sniffed the vehicle before continuing on our way.It would be like trying to turn around to avoid a toll booth on a freeway. How are you going to do it when the exits are behind you, or on the other side of the toll booth? While everyone in the lanes to your right are stopped and moving forward slowly as those in front cross the border one at a time? People attempting to turn around will be extra suspicious and often searched. How do you turn around on the freeway if you cannot exit?
Just imagine if you had a CCW and someone made that mistake.

I have also had it happen to me on a military base.
I have been on a highway going through a military base for miles, and if you take any exit within those several miles to change direction you end up at a military checkpoint that does not let you turn around without going through the checkpoint. Guess what, smuggling small arms onto a military base is a big "no-no" as well.

The AR15 is a definate big boo-boo to be hauling into California.

Not necessarily. He could have had reduced capacity magazines, and a way to lock said magazines into the rifle, or a spare stock to attach without a pistol grip as long as it was an off list reciever type and not banned by name, was over 30 inches total without evil features like a flash supressor or threaded barrel etc.

 

[NavyLCDR]

And when this guy does get out (if ever) he will be AWOL from the Army and face disciplinary action from the US Military....

And I just looked, it is like 300 miles to the Mexican border from Ft Hood! 300 miles for a burrito breakfast!?! Come on, now, tell me another one.... Maybe someone had just sold him the Bridge of the Americas and he wanted to check out his new property....

 

[feets]

The route from Ft Hood to SoCal takes you through El Paso.

When you take the exit shown above, there are other large signs stating what you can and can't cross the border with. There are also border security folks on our side of the line. Pull over, get out, and visit with one of them. Explain the situation and you'll be fine.

Anybody who's spent any time at all in Texas knows that you don't have to go to Mexico to get a Mexican breakfast. You can get Mexican food (including breakfast) at every other street corner.

That guy got stupid and deserves the punishment.

I bet he learns from his mistake (the idea behind punishment) and doesn't do it again.

Look at a Google map of hwy 110 and US 62 in El Paso. Check the border crossing and you cna see a place to turn around in the satellite photo.

 

[Ash]

Like a pig to piranhas, we do so well going after folks around here. We divide and conquer ourselves quite nicely.

Ash

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Aye. The only thing he did wrong was got snared in a spider's web of bureacracy.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Travis McGee]

I have driven and or walked across the border at San Diego and Laredo. Yes, if you're not careful and you make rosy assumptions, you can get "swept" across the border accidentally.

What do I mean by this? What about all of those scary signs?

What I mean is that the US soldier's normal assumption, from crossing onto a dozen military bases with fairly similar "border controls," (guard shacks, fences, guns), is that you will assume there is always a last chance U-turn right before you get to the point of no return.

Or if that fails, you can stop at the guard shack, say, "I forgot my ID" or "I thought the rule about rental cars was such and such" and they will let you pull a "mulligan" U-turn. No harm, no foul, just make a U-turn through that little opening there, have a nice day.

NOT SO IN MEXICO. If you assume you can have a "gimme" or "mulligan" U-turn at the end, FORGET IT.

So: word to the wise: if you are anywhere near Mexico with guns or ammo, TAKE THAT EXIT a mile back, before you get ANYWHERE NEAR the actual border frontier. Once you are about 1/4 mile from the actual border line, IT'S TOO LATE.

 

[Travis McGee]

Zoogster is exactly correct.

BTW, I'm the guy who tossed 3 guns off of a sailboat before entering Mexican waters, when I had to make an unplanned fuel stop. Do I regret it? Hell no.

 

[Thernlund]

Isn't this a duplicate thread?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=358392


-T.

 

[Chris B]

I feel for the guy.

Just last week I was in Nogales/Sonora and was stopped while walking and forced to empty my pockets by five crooked Mexican cops. I had locked my gun in the car on the US side and saw all of the signs about no firearms and ammunition; what I didn't see were signs that indicated that knives were illegal. I had a small folder clipped to my right pocket. They wanted to take me to jail where I would have to pay a "fine" for having the knife, which they said was just as bad as having a gun. They also gave me the option of paying the fine right there and going back across the border. They wanted $200 and I worked them down to $100 and got the hell out of Mexico!

 

[jhansman]

Just plain dumb, from any angle. If he gets back to tell about it, he can go out on the "10 Things You Never Want To Do" lecture tour, with his screwup right at the top. He has my sympathies (to a point); nothin' the Mexican govt. loves more than teaching gringos about their version of the law (with the possible exception of a good bribe).

 

[romma]

Screwed!

 

[Nightwing]

Tell them we'll trade them 100 of their citizens who are here illegally back for him, and we'll call it a wash.

 

[scrat]

all i want to know is how far was he from the border. Because if it were me and i was close enought to the border i would have hauled some mighty tail and crossed that border quickly. Rather face a speeding ticket here than a prison term there.

 

[Winchester 73]

Isn't this a duplicate thread?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=358392

Yes,but I can handle it!

 

[yhtomit]

That guy got stupid and deserves the punishment.

Really? You have more respect than I do then for the anti-self-defense, anti-liberty gun laws of Mexico. He might be legally liable for the offense with which he's charged, but that doesn't mean he "deserves" it.

My opinion, at least.

timothy

 

[Prince Yamato]

Knowing what I do now, I'd probably hit the brakes and just refuse to move the car in this guy's situation.

That's what I would have done. I would have parked my car in the middle of the freeway in the US and said for someone to "call the police". I'd rather be towed for a traffic obstruction than rot in a Mexican prison on a weapons charge. Yes, Mexican gun laws suck, but you know what? It's Mexico, not the USA. So if you don't like their laws, don't go there.

 

[lvcat2004]

I have little sympathy for this less than intelligent soldeir. He had make several, consecutive mistakes to end up where he's at. You almost had to try to do it.

 

[Thernlund]

Really? You have more respect than I do then for the anti-self-defense, anti-liberty gun laws of Mexico.

We complain up and down about Mexican nationals coming here and breaking our laws. It pisses me right off that any American would actually suggest that an American national should be allowed to get away with breaking another countries laws. In this case, Mexico's.

Those are their laws. I go to Mexico all the time and I don't walk around like I own the place. I act like the guest that I am. While in their country, one should obey their laws. If you don't agree with them then don't go to Mexico, accidentally or otherwise.


-T.

 

[riverdog]

It's Mexico, not the USA. So if you don't like their laws, don't go there.

I live in San Diego and I avoid the border area entirely. Cross teh border? No f'n way.

I've seen the traffic pattern in El Paso and it would be very easy to get funneled and miss the signs.

"All he wanted was a good Mexican meal."

I give him a F in headwork, you can get great Mexican food in San Diego, no need to cross the border.

 

[csmkersh]

I give him a F in headwork, you can get great Mexican food in San Diego, no need to cross the border.

You can get great Mexican food just outside the Rancier East gate at Hood. Far better than any I've ever gotten in El Paso.

Even before I started using a GPS, never got lost in I-10 headed West to Huachuca or East back to San Antonio.
​

 

[The Tourist]

I suggest a prisoner swap.

We get him back, and we will return ten million of their countrymen.

(While I said that in jest, my underliying feelings are true. Considering the strict laws that they demand we follow, we seem to cave in much too quickly on the breach of our borders, the conduct and cost of their citizens and the lousy deal we get on Pemex products. And why? It is simply that the USA likes to appear as the "good guys." Let's get some sophisticated gunships and some SEALs who want pay-back and go get our boy. I know how scared I'd be in a Mexican prison with the real possiblity that my government is more interested in "tap dancing" before an election than the safety and security of its citizens.

Millions of their citizens broke the laws of the USA just sneaking into the country. They're all felons by my definition.)

 

[Thernlund]

Let's get some sophisticated gunships and some SEALs who want pay-back and go get our boy.

This guy broke their laws. He needs to sort it out with them himself.

That said, I do agree that we're soft on illegal immigration. I think a nice 100 yard wide mine field (with ample warning signs) would solve the problem in less than 10 days. It would be both tough and passive. Hell, even give 'em a 30 foot wide "safe strip" on our side before the mines. Give 'em a chance to sit, read the warnings, and think about it a bit first.


-T.

 

[Sgtanderson]

Yes-he a least made one hell of a stupid mistake-but we can't leave him behind in Mexico anymore than we would in Iraq. I wouldnt trust those bastards down there to treat him humanely,it might be as bad as being a POW! We should send them a deadline to release our brother or they get a visit in the dead of night by some SF types wearing black hoods and no insigina

 

[Travis McGee]

All of you pontificators who are ready to hang this guy out to dry need to keep this in mind. You can "break their law" while still over 1/2 mile back in the good old USA. It's very easy to get the wrong idea, assume there will be a turnout exit, and get "swept" into Mexico as many posters above have described.

So go ahead and dump on this guy, all you perfect humans, who NEVER made a mistake.

But word to the wise for the rest of you folks who are human: if you get within a mile of the Mexican border, you CAN be swept past "the point of no return." There will be no last chance U-turn. There will be no understanding or mercy shown, once you are one centimeter into Mexico.

And if you don't make that last exit, a mile from the border, you WILL end up in Mexico. (Unless as someone indicated, you park your car and call 911 as the better option.)

Let this be a lesson none of us repeat.

And this is EXACTLY why I tossed three perfectly good firearms overboard, when I was forced to make an unplanned fuel stop in Mexico on a San Diego to Panama sailboat voyage. And why I'd do it again.

 

[ColinthePilot]

I was discussing this case with a friend last night. We realized this guy isn't the most accurate gun in the safe. According to Fox News, he is currently a Specialist (E-4) in the Army, but he enlisted in 2001. A seven year E-4 is somewhat uncommon. He should have promoted much faster.
Second, he was going across the border to get breakfast? sounds fishy to me. Right here in San Antonio, ~150 mi from Mexico, I can get fresh breakfast tacos, made by real mexicans that morning within walking distance of just about anywhere in town. In El Paso, being that close to the border, I don't think a trip into Mexico is required to get good Mexican food.
Third, he's trying to take 2 [unregistered] firearms, including one EBR, into California. Just more evidence he's not too bright.