Man who rammed US Coastguard convicted of murder

A Mexican man has been convicted of murder after ramming a US Coastguard inflatable boat, killing an officer onboard

A man from Mexico has been convicted for murder after ramming his vessel into a US Coastguard inflatable boat.

Jose Meija-Leyva, a 42-year-old from Ensenada in Mexico, was found guilty of murder, two counts of failure to yield to a coastguard command and four counts of assaulting federal officers with a deadly and dangerous weapon.

Chief petty officer Terrell Horne was killed following the incident off the coast of California in December 2012, reports Reuters.

Mr Meija-Leyva and his shipmate Manuel Beltran-Higuera were suspected of using their vessel to smuggle marijuana.

When the pair were approached by the officers, Mr Meija-Levya deliberately used his boat to drive into them, causing two officers to be thrown into the water.

Mr Horne died after a boat propeller struck him in the head, while his colleague only suffered a cut to his knee.

Mr Beltran-Higuera was convicted of two counts of failure to yield and four counts of assault as an accessory.

Coastguard commandant Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr said: “We are pleased with the verdict and that those responsible for Senior Chief Horne’s death will be held accountable.”

The two men are due to be sentenced on 12 May.