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Charges filed in shooting death of Vermont border agent

By Mike Heuer
Border Patrol agent David "Chris" Maland is pictured with his K9 unit dog and was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Coventry, Vt., on Monday afternoon. Photo by David Maland/WPTZ
Border Patrol agent David "Chris" Maland is pictured with his K9 unit dog and was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Coventry, Vt., on Monday afternoon. Photo by David Maland/WPTZ

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A suspect has been charged in the U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vt. in the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol agent David "Chris" Maland in Vermont on Monday afternoon.

Teresa Youngblut, 21, is charged with one count of using a deadly weapon while assaulting a U.S. Border Patrol agent and one count of using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to the assault, the U.S. Attorney's Office of Vermont announced Friday.

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"The events leading to this prosecution tragically demonstrate how the men and women of law enforcement regularly put their lives on the line as they try to keep our communities and our country safe," Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Dresher said.

"The United States Attorney's Office is deeply grateful for those with the courage to do such dangerous work," Drescher said. "We intend to honor them and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland by performing our prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done."

Youngblut was found with a driver's license from Washington State while her companion, Felix Baukholt, is from Germany and remained in the United States despite having an expired visa.

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Youngblut allegedly shot and killed Maland with a handgun as he approached the vehicle during a traffic stop at 3:15 p.m. EST along southbound I-91 in Coventry.

At least one Border Patrol agent returned fire and struck Youngblut and Baukholt, who allegedly was drawing a firearm when he was shot and killed.

Youngblut was driving the blue Toyota Prius in which Baukholt was seated in the front passenger seat during the traffic stop, which was done under the pretext of a potential immigration violation, ABC News reported.

Baukholt was declared dead at the scene while Youngblut was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

The charging affidavit says a hotel clerk in Lyndonville, Vt., reported suspicious activities by Youngblut and Baukholt days earlier.

The hotel employee was concerned that Youngblut and Baukholt wore black tactical clothing and protective gear while openly carrying holstered firearms.

Law enforcement earlier on Monday observed the pair in the Prius while they were parked in a Walmart parking lot in Newport, Vt.

Baukholt was seen wrapping aluminum foil around objects, which later were discovered to be cell phones.

The pair had been in the area for several days and told Vermont State Police and Homeland Security Investigations agents they were looking for property to buy.

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After the shooting, agents found two firearms, ammunition, tactical gear, several laptop computers, a pair of two-way radios and cell phones wrapped in aluminum foil inside the Prius, which has a North Carolina vehicle registration in Baukholt's name.

Baukholt was a computer expert who initially was authorized to be in the United States on a work visa but remained after it expired.

The FBI is continuing to investigate the case.

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