Undocumented man charged for biting, assaulting law enforcement during traffic stop

MARYLAND (WBFF) — An undocumented immigrant from El Salvador has been charged for assaulting federal law enforcement officers during a traffic stop, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Maryland announced.

Officials reported that a criminal complaint was filed against Santos Alvarenga-Rodriguez, 47, for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers in Howard County.

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On January 18, 2026, ICE-ERO officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Alvarenga-Rodriguez was operating after a restriction code was triggered on its license plate, indicating that Alvarenga-Rodriguez may not be legally present in the U.S., officials said.

After being stopped, authorities instructed Alvarenga-Rodriguez to exit the vehicle.

Officials said he refused, started the car, and placed his hand on the gearshift to put it into drive.

Officers were eventually able to prevent him from fleeing, but he still resisted the arrest and bit an officer on his forearm and injured another officer by causing a laceration to the officer’s nose, according to authorities.

Alvarenga-Rodriguez made his initial appearance in federal court on March 11.