Thread: San Diego: 2 suspected illegal immigrants killed after Borde

2 suspected illegal immigrants killed after Border Patrol chase


By Elliot Spagat
ASSOCIATED PRESS

2:54 p.m. June 27, 2007

SAN DIEGO – Two suspected illegal immigrants died in a fiery head-on crash after the driver of a pickup fled the Border Patrol and swerved into oncoming traffic on a winding, rural road, authorities said Wednesday. Several people were seriously injured.
The Border Patrol halted its pursuit after reaching the 55 mph speed limit, said spokesman Quinn Palmer.

Agents later spotted a plume of smoke several miles away and found the pickup in flames on a two-lane road near Ocotillo, about 70 miles east of San Diego, he said.

Pablo Arnaud, Mexico's consul in Calexico, said survivors told Mexican officials that a green and white vehicle – the Border Patrol's colors – pursued the truck until the crash Tuesday afternoon.

The 1994 Dodge Dakota carried eight suspected illegal immigrants from Mexico, two of whom died, authorities said. A man was pronounced dead at the scene and a woman died later at a San Diego-area hospital.

Arnaud said the driver ignored the migrants' pleas to slow down as he raced toward San Diego.

The driver, who suffered moderate injuries, was arrested and will be charged with felony vehicular manslaughter. He was identified by the California Highway Patrol as Daniel Lopez of Mexico.

Lopez, who was not wearing a seat belt, swerved into the opposite lane on county Highway S-2 and struck a 2007 Toyota Corolla, whose 68-year-old driver slammed on his brakes, the CHP said. The driver and a passenger, both from the rural community of Valley Center, suffered major injuries but were expected to survive.

The pickup overturned and caught fire, ejecting several passengers, the CHP said. Survivors were being treated at several Southern California hospitals, including one person with life-threatening injuries.

The Border Patrol said agents used spike strips in an unsuccessful attempt to puncture the pickup's tires.

Smugglers have defied the Border Patrol on curvy, mountain roads east of San Diego by traveling at dangerous speeds and swerving into opposite traffic – sometimes at night with their headlights off. In December, a 26-year-old man was sentenced to 19 years in prison for leading agents on wild chases.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metr ... crash.html

The pickup overturned and caught fire, ejecting several passengers, the CHP said. Survivors were being treated at several Southern California hospitals, including one person with life-threatening injuries.

More taxpayer money wasted.