Mayor given traffic citations at Veterans Bridge

Brownsville Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. was given three traffic citations by Cameron County sheriff's deputies Friday afternoon at Veterans International Bridge, while he was involved in a verbal argument over a traffic dispute with a federal agent.

Sheriff's Chief Deputy Gus Reyna said deputies working bridge detail noticed Ahumada's motorcycle had an expired sticker and questioned him.

"He was given one citation for invalid registration, one for an expired sticker and one for no proof of insurance," Reyna said.

Ahumada said he was riding his son's motorcycle on the southbound lane to Matamoros when a man in a vehicle ahead of him began making head gestures toward him.

"He was moving his head inquisitively as if asking what's up," Ahumada said. "I wasn't cutting him off or anything. I was behind him."

The mayor said the driver of the vehicle then pulled over and approached, shaking his finger and asking for identification.

"He said he was an officer, but he didn't identify himself; his car was unmarked," Ahumada said. "He kept telling me that I was riding on his blind side, but I was behind him. He was abusive and arrogant; he was a bully. I didn't do anything wrong."

The officer the mayor spoke of is a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, officials said.

Adelina Pruneda, spokeswoman for ICE, had not received any notification of the incident with the mayor.

Ahumada said the agent sent him to a secondary inspection area where sheriff's department deputies gave him the citations.

"The deputies were very professional and courteous," Ahumada said. "The registration I wasn't aware of, but the insurance I have it right here."

The mayor said he has insurance, but did not have proof of it with him at the time of the altercation.

Ahumada said he went through to Mexico and came back to the U.S. side, going into the bridge's office asking to file a complaint against the agent.

"The supervisor at the bridge said they were (Customs and Border Protection officers) and that ICE was a different department," Ahumada said. "He did give me a number to make the complaint and come Monday I'm filling one."