Thread: CA-Border patrol arrests four men in Santa Ana

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Border patrol arrests four men in Santa Ana
The arrest was made Tuesday night following a 15-minute chase from San Clemente, authorities say.
By DENISSE SALAZAR
The Orange County Register
Comments 43| Recommend 4

SANTA ANA – Four men were arrested in Santa Ana by border patrol agents following a chase that started at the immigration checkpoint near San Clemente.

The chase started at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday after border patrol agents spotted a 1998 Lincoln Navigator traveling near the checkpoint on the north I-5 Freeway that failed to yield when agents attempted pull it over, said Julius Alatorre, z border patrol agent.

"The agents must have seen something that led them to pay closer attention, and to investigate further they attempted a vehicle stop," Alatorre said.

The chase ended in a residential Santa Ana neighborhood at Lyon and 1st streets after the Navigator hit a curb and blew out two tires, Alatorre said.

With the assistance of Santa Ana police, border patrol agents arrested four men after they jumped out of the Navigator and attempted to flee.

The driver and the front-seat passenger were arrested on suspicion of alien smuggling, a federal crime. The rear-seat passengers were detained on suspicion of being undocumented residents, Alatorre said, adding that they will be returned to their country of origin if they don't have a criminal record.

The names of the four men were not immediately released.

Brad Stoffers, 48, who lives on Lyon Street, says he saw the Navigator being chased through his street while children were playing.

"I'm really upset that they gave the neighborhood no warning," Stoffers said. "They could have had their sirens on, and it's a miracle from God no one died."

Stoffers said the border patrol vehicle crashed into the back of the Navigator, pushing it onto the sidewalk, and causing it to hit a vent pipe that went flying about 40 to 50 feet in the air before landing near children. The Navigator then slammed into a parked Honda sedan.

"It was total disrespect for the neighborhood, and we are lucky that no one was killed," Stoffers said. "It was five times more dangerous than the earthquake we went through."

Alatorre said the chase did not reach high speeds.

"The vehicle was being surveyed at a safe distance," he said.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or desalazar@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/navi ... rre-patrol

Why does the media so often show fault with law enforcement officers? There is a slant towards that in this piece. The focus should be on the smuggler and aliens who shouldn't have been trying to get away from the agents and also shouldn't have been there in the first place. Know Santa Ana well, bet they thought they'd be home free once they reached there.

Originally Posted by jean

Why does the media so often show fault with law enforcement officers? There is a slant towards that in this piece. The focus should be on the smuggler and aliens who shouldn't have been trying to get away from the agents and also shouldn't have been there in the first place. Know Santa Ana well, bet they thought they'd be home free once they reached there.

You know Jean that Santa Ana is illegal invader central! Lyon and 1st street is ground zero!

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Originally Posted by jean

Why does the media so often show fault with law enforcement officers? There is a slant towards that in this piece. The focus should be on the smuggler and aliens who shouldn't have been trying to get away from the agents and also shouldn't have been there in the first place. Know Santa Ana well, bet they thought they'd be home free once they reached there.

You know Jean that Santa Ana is illegal invader central! Lyon and 1st street is ground zero!

Yep, know the exact location too.