June 27, 2007

Fiery crash kills 1 on desert highway

EAST COUNTY – The fiery crash of a pickup carrying seven suspected illegal immigrants on a desert highway yesterday left one passenger dead, a Border Patrol spokesman said.

Agents who had briefly pursued the pickup and tried to spike its tires came upon the collision scene about 4:30 p.m. on County Road S2 where it also is known as Sweeney Pass Road.
The agents tried to rescue everyone from the upside-down, burning truck, but couldn't get to one person, who died, Border Patrol spokesman Quinn Palmer said.

Nine people, including two in a Toyota Corolla struck by the pickup, were taken by medical helicopters and ambulances to hospitals in San Diego, El Centro and Brawley.

The road was closed for several hours for an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Border Patrol.