Thread: AZ: 24 illegal immigrants injured in van crash near Douglas

24 illegal immigrants injured in van crash near Douglas
RYN GARGULINSKI
Tucson Citizen

A van packed with illegal immigrants crashed Thursday morning near Douglas, injuring 24 of them and sending several to a Tucson hospital, a Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said.

Seven victims were airlifted 100 miles to University Medical Center, one with life-threatening injuries, Officer Joy Craig said.

UMC spokeswoman Katie Riley said six of the vicitms still were hospitalized Friday, their conditions ranging from critical to fair. One was treated and released, she said.

The crash occurred when the 1996 Ford Club Wagon containing at least 26 illegal immigrants smashed into a guardrail on U.S. 191 about 13 miles north of Douglas, Craig said.

She said no one had been wearing a seat belt in the vehicle and all its occupants were ejected upon impact.

Two uninjured passengers were rounded up as they tried to flee, while the other 24 were airlifted to UMC or shuttled to hospitals in Bisbee, Douglas and Willcox.

This marks the third vehicle packed with illegal immigrants that crashed in recent weeks.

• Two men were killed and four others injured when a truck carrying at least 15 crashed near Sierra Vista on April 13.

• One woman died and around 30 others were injured when their van rolled on an Interstate 10 offramp on April 7.

Charges were brought against the latter's driver, Jesus Espinoza-Martinez, 31, who is facing one count of transporting illegal immigrants for profit resulting in death and one count of bringing illegal aliens into the United States for profit.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/83589.php

They just keep pouring in through our unprotected border.

That probably cost over a million dollars of tax payer money.

Driver who rolled van killing one sentenced

07:23 PM MST on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

By Jim Edwards, Fox 11 News

A Mexican man who was driving a van that rolled over and crashed killing one person has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for transporting illegal aliens for profit resulting in death. Authorities say 31-year old Jesus Espinoza-Martinez of Rancho Mayola, Mexico, was behind the wheel when the crash occurred in April, resulting in the death of one female passenger and injuries to 28 others.



The accident happened as the van was headed north on I-10 just south of Tucson. Espinoza-Martinez told authorities that he was to be paid $1,500 to transport the aliens. He pleaded guilty to the charge against him in May of 2008.

www.fox11az.com