A foreign national accused of attacking his wife with a chainsaw is reported to be an 11-time deported illegal alien with a criminal history. The man reportedly attacked his wife in their California home in front of their three children.

California detectives arrested 32-year-old Alejandro Alvarez-Villegas after he fled from the scene where he allegedly attacked his wife with a chainsaw, the Los Angeles Times reported. Whittier, California, Police Department officers said they responded to a service call they found a woman suffering from “traumatic physical injuries, believed to have been inflicted by a chainsaw,” the newspaper reported.

Alvarez-Villegas allegedly fled the scene in a stolen car. Police in San Diego County found Alvarez-Villegas the following day in an SUV that had been reported stolen. The suspect allegedly attempted to ram one of the police cars, NBC7 reported from San Diego.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials reported that “Mr. Alarez-Villegas is a serial immigration violator who has been removed from the United States 11 times since 2005.” Immigration officials placed a detainer on the suspect, but California law prohibits cooperation with immigration officers.

Officials transported the illegal alien’s injured wife to a local trauma center where she underwent surgery. She is expected to survive, the NBC affiliate reported.

The attack on the woman took place in front of their ten, eight, and five-year-old children, officials said. Local officials separated the children from the family and placed them in protective custody.

Despite Alvarez-Villegas’ attempt to avoid arrest, police were able to take him into custody with anyone being injured, Chula Vista Police Lt. Kenny Heinz told NBC7.

Alvarez-Villegas currently resides in the Whittier jail on charges of attempted murder, child endangerment, hit and run, and grand theft auto, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Court records obtained by the Times revealed a criminal history that includes unlawful possession of a controlled substance and one count of using or being under the influence of a controlled substance. He also pleaded no contest to driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher.

In addition to the state’s charges, Alvarez-Villegas could also face federal prosecution for illegal entry after removal. If charged and convicted, the illegal alien could face 20 years in a federal prison.