Army Reservist Patrick Haab has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon—for detaining a group of illegal aliens until the police arrived: Swell of support for reservist who held migrants at gunpoint. (Hat tip: Marty.)

Haab, who turned 24 this month, said Friday that he was not trying to make any statements about illegal immigration when he ordered seven men out of their vehicle and told them to lie face down on the ground at the Sentinel rest stop on Interstate 8.

He said that his military training took over when the seven men “rushed” him out of the darkness at the rest area, where he had stopped to relieve his dog. Earlier this week, he explained that the men climbed inside a Chevrolet Suburban when they saw his gun and he followed them to the SUV, took the vehicle keys and forced them out. Haab said he called 911 as soon as he had the situation under control and a dispatcher told him to do what he thought was best until authorities arrived.“I have put out the real story,” he said, adding that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has made this out to be a case of vigilante justice. “I was acting in self defense.”

Arpaio has said repeatedly that Haab’s story doesn’t make sense and has noted several contradictions. Among those; Haab’s claim that he was being attacked even though none of the men made aggressive moves; Haab’s claim that he was afraid for his life even though he followed the men to their car; Haab’s claim that he did not know the men were illegal immigrants though he later said he believed they thought he was a border patrol agent.

Arpaio has said that Haab’s actions were illegal and dangerous and that he had no right to take the law into his own hands.

All seven immigrants, who were being held at a detention facility in Yuma, asked to press charges against Haab. The driver has also been charged with human smuggling.

UPDATE at 4/16/05 7:59:55 pm:

Please note that Patrick Haab is facing a twenty year sentence for stopping these people from entering the United States illegally.