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Police: Border crosser stabbed over payment to coyote

Sarah Muench
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 24, 2006 02:25 PM


A border crosser was recovering Thursday after being stabbed with a screwdriver by one of two people driving him from southern Arizona to the East Valley, authorities said.

The man and a friend, who police have not identified, crossed the U.S.-Mexican border at 8:24 p.m. Wednesday at Sells and were transported to Mesa by two male suspects, one of whom police identified as Carlos Diaz, for a promised payment of $1,200 each, police said.

But Diaz and a juvenile suspect allegedly demanded that the men pay them double the price each or they would stab and kill them.

When one of the victims told them they couldn't pay more money, the juvenile suspect tried to stab him in the chest with a screwdriver, police said. The victim blocked his chest with his left hand and the screwdriver impaled his hand, police said.

The suspects drove the victims to the 2600 block of West Southern Avenue in Tempe, where they attempted to contact someone at a trailer, police said. Once the suspects were out of sight, one victim fled and called police, who found the suspects and the other victim still inside the vehicle.

Police arrested both suspects and booked them into Tempe City Jail and the victim received medical attention.