http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4044758&nav=9qrx

Friday, October 28, 2005
Illegal immigrant smugglers driving the wrong way on freeways to avoid police

A major safety crisis tonight involving illegal immigrants. There's not only been a rise in cases, but many of them are drug traffickers and they're driving the wrong way into the country.

Interstate 8, about 40 miles east of San Diego is the place. Border Patrol agents say smugglers are trying new tactics to avoid the checkpoint on Interstate 8. They're turning off their lights and driving the wrong way on the freeway, causing accidents, many of them fatal.

Imagine driving home in the evening with your family in the car and you're driving east and all of a sudden, coming at you at 90 to 100 miles per hour, lights off, a van loaded with 14, 15 illegal aliens and maybe as much as 500, 700 pounds of marijuana. It's a frightening, frightening experience.

Now Caltrans, Highway Patrol and Border Patrol are meeting to come up with a solution to this problem.

Some of the measures being considered include a high-tech early warning system and electronic signs to alert other drivers a wrong-way driver is coming.