Aurelio Esparz Valencia

Border Patrol Agent Aurelio Valencia was killed near Glamis, California, when his patrol car was struck by another vehicle while he was making a U-turn to investigate a van he suspected of containing illegal aliens. He was conducting checkpoint operations south of the United States Border Patrol checkpoint on State Highway 78 when he observed a suspected smuggler's vehicle parked on the side of the road. His patrol car was struck as he turned around to investigate the vehicle. Agent Valencia was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for seven years.