Six injured in crash of van fleeing Border Patrol


By Debbi Farr Baker
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

And Mark Arner
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

1:01 p.m. January 22, 2008



One of the crash victims is loaded into an ambulance.



A San Diego Fire Rescue firefighter runs at the scene.

SAN DIEGO – A van suspected of carrying illegal immigrants crashed and rolled over Tuesday morning in Ocean Crest, seriously injuring six people, authorities said.
The accident happened about 10:45 a.m. on westbound state Route 905 east of Interstate 805, said California Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr.

The Border Patrol started pursuing the 2008 Dodge Caravan about 10:40 a.m. near the Otay Mesa border crossing after getting reports that the driver was running red lights and driving erratically, Baehr said.

Border Patrol Agent Richard Smith also said authorities got a call from a private security guard who said he saw several people jump into the minivan.

A helicopter that was in the area began to follow the vehicle, Smith said.

Agents in patrol cars also began to chase the van, but stopped due to the potential danger to other motorists and because the helicopter was following it, Baehr said.

The driver continued heading west on the highway at speeds of more than 80 mph. About two miles east of Interstate 805, the driver lost control of the van. It went onto the dirt center divide and then crossed the highway, overturning once, possibly twice onto the embankment, Baehr said.

Three men and three women were inside the van and two of them were ejected, Baehr said.

All suffered major injuries and required hospitalization, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque. One person was taken to the hospital via helicopter.

All of them appeared to be adults, Baehr said.

Traffic rapidly backed up in both directions after the crash. The westbound lanes of SR-905 were shut down as authorities investigated the crash. Drivers were turned around at Heritage Road.

“This is another perfect example of how smuggling organizations prioritize profits over human safety,â€