Driver smuggling illegal immigrants nearly runs over Upland police officer

By Melissa Pinion-Whitt
Posted: 05/04/2009 07:03:38 AM PDT


A man hauling eight illegal immigrants in a car tried to run over a police officer and led officers on a chase into Montclair on Saturday.
Police arrested Erick Espinoza, 20, who is a Mexican national. He was booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.

An Upland police officer was investigating a theft in the 700 block of Central Avenue at 11:20 a.m. when he encountered two people. The people got into a car and accelerated toward the officer.

The officer jumped back into his vehicle to avoid being struck.

The driver sped away south on Central Avenue, driving into oncoming traffic and running other vehicles off the road, police said.

He jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving. The car crashed into a tree in a parking lot near the corner of Richton Street and Central Avenue. Officers had to use a Taser gun on the driver while taking him into custody because he fought with police.

Police found eight illegal immigrants lying down in the vehicle. The immigrants were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE officials said they had been previously deported back to Mexico within the last two weeks.

There were no reported injuries.

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