Thread: Border Patrol to conduct internal investigation of deadly ac

http://www.kristv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4464618

Border Patrol to conduct internal investigation of deadly accident
Feb 6, 2006, 08:24 PM PST

FALFURRIAS - The Border Patrol has asked for an internal investigation into its actions leading up to the fatal accident that killed nine illegal immigrants. That accident happened on US 281 just north of Falfurrias back on January 26. ( map ) Now Border Patrol officials have now requested an internal investigation into its actions that morning.

On the morning of the accident, many area residents told 6 News they thought the Border Patrol had chased the two vehicles just before the semi truck crashed into one of them, but officials on the scene denied several times that any chase took place.

"No, there was no pursuit. We're still in the process of interviewing people and getting statements from people, but there was no police pursuit. There was nobody with red lights and sirens chasing these people," DPS trooper Lt. Bryan Rippee told 6 News the day of the accident. Maybe not, but federal court documents confirm the Border Patrol was involved.

Around 4:00 a.m., a Premont police officer told a Border Patrol agent about a suspicious white Ford Expedition parked at a Premont hotel. Around 5:40 a.m., the same Premont officer tells the same agent that the Expedition had left the motel heading south.

The agent then spots the Expedition, and follows it onto County Road 405. He sees the Expedition stop in the middle of the road, then make aU-turn and head back. It was then followed by the Ford pickup. The agent claims to have followed only "from a distance", and moments later was the first to discover the accident.

The Border Patrol this week wouldn't directly comment on their role in the deadly collision. In a written statement the Border Patrol said, "We have requested a thorough internal investigation of this incident by the Office of Inspector General and will take whatever actions are deemed necessary upon the completion of this internal review."

Santos Guajardo is the man who was driving the pickup, and barely survived himself. He was arraigned today in federal court on charges of smuggling illegal immigrants. We're also told that several of the other survivors, who are also illegal immigrants, remain in custody, and if they cooperate, will likely serve as witnesses against Guajardo if and when the case goes to trial.

There was also a question about the stop sign at that intersection where the crash occurred. The DPS report released Monday saying the stop sign had been knocked down before the accident. But it's unclear whether the sign would have prevented the accident if it had still been standing.

Online Reporter: Bart Bedsole

If I'm reading this correctly it seems that they're questioning the right of the BP to pursue vehicles that are suspected of being human smuggler vehicles? That somehow the BP CAUSED the accident?



If, indeed, they were pursuing that suspicious vehicle that is their job...and I'm glad they do it. Protecting us is what they're there for....

RR