Chase ends in 9 injuries
Suspected illegal migrants injured after truck rolls over

BY BRANDON L. LEONARD
January 14, 2009 - 10:48 p.m.
GOLIAD - A traffic violation became a dangerous four-mile chase that led to the injury of nine men about 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The driver of a black Dodge Ram 1500 refused to stop in downtown Goliad after being signaled by Deputy James Garner. Instead, Uciel Espinosa Orozco fled, traveling north on U.S. Highway 59, at times reaching speeds between 100 mph and 120 mph.

Eight men, who authorities believe to be illegal immigrants, were with Orozco. Six of them were riding in the pickup's bed.

Garner "had observed the vehicle make a traffic violation," Detective Danny Madrigal with the Goliad County Sheriff's Office said. "At first, he thought it was a stolen vehicle. ... He wasn't suspecting there were illegals."

The truck was registered to a deceased person from Missouri City.

Orozco lost control of the pickup when it went into a skid after he overcorrected to miss another vehicle. The tail end of the Dodge struck another pickup, causing minor damage, according to Trooper David Miller, who investigated the crash.

The Dodge, however, continued to skid sideways into the ditch along the highway's shoulder and rolled three times before coming to a rest about two miles south of Franke Road in Goliad County.

No one was wearing seatbelts, and no airbags deployed, Miller said.

"All that (section) of the highway's new construction, so the ditches are still relatively soft," Madrigal said.

Orozco received the most serious injuries, Miller said.

He was thrown from the vehicle about 150 feet, Miller estimated. Citizens Air Medical transported him from the crash to University Hospital in San Antonio. Orozco was in stable condition, Miller said.

The six men riding in the pickup's bed were also thrown, though not as far as Orozco, Miller said. They were transported to DeTar Hospital Navarro and were in stable condition, according to Judith Barefield, spokeswoman for DeTar Healthcare System.

"It's a pretty frightening sight seeing vehicles begin to roll over and seeing bodies fly out," Madrigal said.

The other two passengers riding in the pickup's cab received minor injuries and were taken to Goliad County Jail. U.S. Border Patrol agents were coming to Goliad to take the two men, Madrigal said.

Orozco is charged with evading detention in a motor vehicle, which is a state felony, Madrigal said. He may face additional charges because the investigation is pending, Madrigal added.

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