The undocumented immigrant suspected of running from Nassau County deputy Eric Oliver was charged with felony reentry during a detention hearing Monday.
Francisco Obidio Portillo-Fuentes, from El Salvador, had been deported twice.
Portillo-Fuentes, 26, reportedly ran from Nassau County deputy Eric Oliver on Nov. 22. Dep. Oliver was assisting Border Control agents during a check of a vehicle with six people inside when Portillo-Fuentes reportedly ran.
During the chase, Oliver was struck by a car and killed. The funeral for Dep. Oliver was held Nov. 26. He leaves behind a 6-year-old daughter.
Portillo-Fuentes had reentered in the United States less than a week earlier. His court-appointed lawyer said Monday that his client should not be charged with Oliver's death because he didn't intend to hurt the deputy.
Portillo-Fuentes has another hearing on Dec. 5 and is expected to plead guilty to the felony reentry charge, his lawyer said.
Action News Jax Law and Safety expert Dale Carson said that Portillo-Fuentes could be charged with felony murder.
“Under the circumstances, the officer was killed while he was trying to make an arrests on an individual who fled,” Carson said.