http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 23-ON.html

Groups ask Border Patrol to end car chases

Associated Press
Aug. 23, 2006 03:28 PM


TUCSON - A border rights coalition asked federal officials Wednesday to suspend Border Patrol high-speed chases pending a review of a Yuma-area rollover two weeks ago that resulted in multiple deaths.

The letter from the Los Angeles-based Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law also asked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and the heads of Customs and Border Protection and the Border Patrol to update Border Patrol hot pursuit policies.

The letter was sent on behalf of the Border Human Rights Working Group, a coalition of organizations involved in human rights advocacy in the four states bordering Mexico.

It also sought through a Freedom of Information request copies of all Border Patrol documents concerning the Yuma chase and crash and policies and training materials concerning high-speed chases.

Nine of 20 illegal immigrants crammed into a sport utility vehicle died Aug. 7 after a rollover when its driver swerved to avoid a spike strip set on a road by a Border Patrol agent.

A 10th passenger died last week in a Phoenix hospital, and on Monday, Yuma County authorities raised the death toll to 11, including the death of a fetus of a pregnant woman who had died.

Calls to spokesmen for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington were not returned immediately.