The San Ysidro border crossing is one of the busiest border crossings in the world, and it is where U.S. Marine Andrew Tahmooressi accidently entered Mexico, sparking an international incident that landed him in a Mexican jail.
At the San Ysidro border crossing entering Mexico from California, cars are funneled into lanes separated by dividers. The only way to turn back to the U.S is in the far left lane.
U.S. Marine Andrew Tahmooressi's mother said her son originally crossed into Tijuana, Mexico on foot, leaving his car parked on the California side of the border. After dinner with friends, he walked back to the U.S., and drove his car onto a ramp that he believed would take him onto the I-5 freeway heading back to San Diego. However, Tahmooressi was in the far right lane -- blocked from the left lane by dividers.
After crossing the San Ysidro checkpoint into Mexico, Tahmooressi was stopped by law enforcement officials, who stopped him because his vehicle didn't have a front license plate. Tahmooressi had been living in Florida, one of the 19 states in the U.S. that do not require front license plates."
Tahmooressi was charged with possession of three firearms: a 12-gauge shotgun, a .45 caliber pistol, an AR-15 and 400 pieces of ammunition. All were legally registered in the U.S.
His mother told Fox News Latino that he keeps a collection of guns so he feels 'prepared'. Tahmooressi suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and was experiencing hyper-vigilance, a persistent state of insecurity and a preoccupation with unknown threats.
After Tahmooressi was detained that night, his first call was to 911, explaining what had happened."
Tahmooressi has been in a Mexican jail for almost two months, and it is unclear when he will be released.
