Illegal entrant struck by lightning

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.14.2007
Lightning struck an illegal border crosser Monday night about 10 miles north of the border in the Altar Valley southwest of Tucson.
The 38-year-old man was transported to University Medical Center and survived, said Richard DeWitt, Border Patrol Tucson Sector spokesman.
A Border Patrol agent encountered the group at about 10:30 p.m. Monday near milepost 10 on Arizona 286, he said. The group members said the lightning struck the man at about 8:30 p.m. and that, due to the wet ground, three others were shocked as well, DeWitt said.
Members of the group said they carried the 38-year-old man to the road. He was conscious but unable to move, DeWitt said. The agent called for an emergency helicopter but stormy weather prevented it from responding.
The man was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center. The three other people who were injured were taken to Saint Mary’s Hospital, he said.
Lightning strikes are unusual but have happened before, DeWitt said. He could remember at least two agents who had been struck near Nogales.
Also on Monday in the Altar Valley, Border Patrol agents rescued 12 Mexican illegal border crossers who were lost and had called 911. The Pima County Sheriff’s office received the call at about 7 p.m. and calculated where the call was made by looking up the location of the cell phone tower that had been used. They notified BORSTAR agents, the agency’ssearch, trauma, and rescue unit, who responded and found the group at about 8:15 p.m., DeWitt said.
None of the 12 people required medical assistance. They had called 911 because they were lost and scared by the stormy weather, DeWitt said.

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