An FBI agent hit a pedestrian with their agency car in New York early one morning in February, before moving the man to a nearby bench and speeding away, according to a federal indictment handed up this week.
The now-former agent, Andrew Reyes, was driving his FBI-issued car with its lights on through a red light and going the wrong direction when he struck the unnamed man, according to the indictment.
Reyes has been charged with willfully depriving an individual of his constitutional rights while acting under color of law and making false statements.
After hitting him, Reyes then got out of his car and “dragged” the unconscious man “from the street, across the sidewalk, and put him on a bench,” the Justice Department alleges in its indictment.
Reyes never alerted hospitals or medical emergency services, prosecutors say.
“As alleged, the defendant was driving his government vehicle the wrong way on a major Brooklyn thoroughfare, blew through a red light, struck a pedestrian, and then fled the scene without rendering aid to the severely injured victim or reporting the incident,” said Joseph Nocella, US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a statement. “The defendant’s alleged conduct demonstrated a shocking disregard for human life and his sworn oath to uphold the law. The charges announced today send the clear message that no one is above the law and those who abuse their position of trust and deprive citizens of their constitutional rights will be prosecuted.”
CNN has not been able to identify an attorney for Reyes. The FBI has not responded to a request for comment.
Reyes then went back to the street to grab the man’s bag and placed it next to him on the bench, according to the indictment. Afterwards, Reyes sped away, his emergency lights still on.
The agent was interviewed months later by special agents with the Justice Department’s internal investigator. Reyes allegedly lied to the agents when asked if he had ever hit a person while driving his FBI car and not reported the incident.
“Reyes falsely stated that he had not,” the indictment alleges.
