Police: 1 dead, several injured after multi-agency car chase ends in crash

Police: 1 dead, several injured after multi-agency car chase ends in crash
by Nadia Galindo

http://www.valleycentral.com/uploade...pect=nostretch

Posted: 03.27.2014 at 11:08 PM

One person is dead and four people are believed to be injured as a result of a pursuit that spanned several cities.

Mission Police confirm the chase ended in their city, and the incident happened around 10:15 p.m.

Authorities say the pursuit started in La Grulla after a Camaro led them on the chase.

The maroon Chevrolet Camaro rolled over, and Mission Police say one person is dead as a result of the crash.

The crash happened on Inspiration Road in Mission.

Police say the driver was traveling eastbound on Expressway 83 when he took the exit at a high-rate of speed.

The driver then lost control near the railroad tracks and rolled over.

The injured are being transported to McAllen Medical Center at this time.

Police said there were five people in the car, and three of them are believed to be citizens of Mexico.

Witnesses say a chopper was flying overhead and several EMS responded to the scene.

We will provide further information as details are made available to us.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1024440

Driver in fatal, high-speed

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  Gabe Hernandez
  Mission police officers inspect a totaled car after a police chase Thursday March 27, 2014 near Business 83 and Inspiration Road in Mission. The chase began by La Grulla police in Starr County and ended with a fatal rollover. One person was killed and four others hospitalized Photo by Gabe Hernandez/gabrielh@themonitor.com

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Gabe Hernandez
Mission police officers and fire fighters inspect a totaled car after a police chase Thursday March 27, 2014 near Business 83 and Inspiration Road in Mission. The chase began by La Grulla police in Starr County and ended with a fatal rollover. One person was killed and four others hospitalized Photo by Gabe Hernandez/gabrielh@themonitor.com

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townn...review-300.jpghttp://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townn...review-300.jpghttp://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townn...review-300.jpghttp://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townn...review-300.jpg


Posted: Friday, March 28, 2014 7:49 pm

Karen Antonacci | The Monitor

Posted on Mar 28, 2014

MISSION — The high-speed pursuit Thursday night that culminated in a rollover wreck that killed one man, put three men in the Intensive Care Unit and landed the driver in custody all began with a routine evening traffic stop in La Grulla, a Mission police spokesman said.

Investigators now believe that Jose Manuel Zambrano, 19, of Pharr asked his brother Pedro Humberto Zambrano, 18, to join him in transporting two Guatemalan citizens and one Mexican citizen in a borrowed 2010 red Chevrolet Camaro on Thursday night. None of the men had a previous criminal history, said Sgt. Manuel Casas, Mission police spokesman.

When a La Grulla police officer tried to pull over the Camaro for going over 30 mph in a 20 mph speed zone, however, Jose Zambrano did not stop the car.

“The car was very clean, you wouldn’t think anything of it,” said Sgt. Manuel Casas, Mission police spokesman. “But it didn’t stop, it didn’t stop, and then finally (Jose Zambrano) punched it and took off.”

Jose Zambrano led law enforcement from La Grulla, Sullivan City, La Joya, Palmview and the Texas Department of Public Safety on a chase eastbound along U.S. 83. Because police cruisers had difficulty keeping up with the Camaro, which was going between 100 and 130 mph, a DPS helicopter tracked the vehicle and alerted police departments of the incoming chase, Casas said.

The chase ended when Jose Zambrano exited the expressway at the Inspiration Road/Business 83 exit and unsuccessfully attempted to turn left, Casas said. Unable to brake in time, the Camaro clipped another passing vehicle, hit some railroad tracks, rolled over and crashed into a railroad switchbox. The point of impact on the vehicle was its rear passenger side.

A 61-year-old man from Guatemala was killed upon impact with the switchbox — a metal box, roughly the size of half a vehicle, that was bolted to its cement foundation near the railroad. There were no injuries in the vehicle Jose Zambrano clipped, Casas said.

Investigators are working with the Guatemalan consulate to notify the dead man’s next of kin before releasing his identity, Casas said.

The two other unidentified men in the backseat of the car from Mexico and Guatemala were transported to McAllen Medical Center and were in critical condition as of 5 p.m. Friday, Casas said.

Pedro Zambrano was also transported to McAllen Medical with severe injuries, and the driver, Jose Zambrano was taken into custody by Mission police, Casas said.

Jose Zambrano appeared remorseful and extremely worried about his brother’s condition at his arraignment Friday. He escaped the crash with a scratch on his arm, Casas said. He was accused of two charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault of a family member and manslaughter. He is being held in lieu of $4 million bond.

Jose Zambrano could face additional charges of manslaughter, depending on whether either the man from Mexico or the other man from Guatemala dies while in critical condition, Casas said.

Casas said Mission police will forward Jose Zambrano’s statement that he was paid to transport the three men on to Border Patrol for further investigation.

Jose Zambrano “said they don’t know who (the other three men) are and they don’t know their names,” Casas said. “To me it smells like a coyote moving people, but the federal government is going to do their part on that.”

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local...a4bcf6878.html