Thread: TX: Illegal Immigrants Involved in Fatal Accident

Video at the source link.
~~~

Illegal Immigrants Involved in Fatal Accident

KIIITV News

Story Created: Nov 24, 2008 at 6:29 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 24, 2008 at 6:29 PM CST

One woman is dead seven others are injured after the van they were in flipped, crashed and then burned.

It happen in Duval County, off County Road 229 and Farm Road 1336.

The van was believed to have been transporting illegal aliens and was being chased by a Duval County constable and Border Patrol agents.

Investigators believe when the van turned onto 229, the driver lost control on the caliche road, over-corrected and ended up flipping into a field where the fire started.

Pct 2 Constable Ramiro Perez tells 3News he was the first to arrive on the scene and saw bodies scattered everywhere.

One passenger was Halo-flighted, the rest were transported by ambulance.

The victims have not been identified but it is believed the woman who died in the mishap may have been from Central America.

The condition of the others is not known.

http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/35020819.html

Some Residents Questioning Fatal Immigrant Chase

Manuel De La Rosa

(November 25, 200

CONCEPCION--Troopers said two more people have died from yesterday's illegal immigrant chase in Duval County. That brings the death toll to 3. That has some folks in that county questioning whether chasing illegal immigrant is justified.

It was six years ago when Duval County last saw a fatal chase involving illegal immigrants. Law enforcement officers said they're caught in the middle of the debate over whether or not to give chase.

You can still see where the bail out chase came to tragic end just near Concepcion. Three illegal immigrants died in this fatal chase and four others were hurt. It happened on this caliche road after their vehicle rolled over several times.

For the constable, who was involved in this high speed pursuit, it's still on his mind a day later.

"I feel real bad about what happened," said Ramiro Perez, Duval County Constable Precinct 1. "I've had hundreds of bail outs and nothing like this has really happened."

Some area residents are angry that this fatal accident killed the immigrants from Honduras, Guatamala and Mexico.

"They knew it was a dead end road," said a neighbor who didn't want to identify herself. "Why didn't they stop and call Border Patrol instead of bringing these people to their unnecessary death."

The constable, a 20-year-veteran said when they started driving down the caliche road. He couldn't see anything from the dust. Contrary to the neighbor, he said their was still another road for them to take before the dead end and would have allowed the human smuggler to escape.

"They don't stop for some reason," Constable Perez said. "You don't if they got dope, illegals or what. They're running from the law for some reason. You just can't let them go."

Troopers are trying to determine who was the driver in this fatal accident.

"When you have three people get killed and several others injured, that takes a little while," said Corporal Charlie Ramirez of the Department of Public Safety.

In time, troopers said the driver is expected to face charges for this tragic accident in Duval County.

http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/35099584.html