Two illegal immigrants dead near Mathis

By Stuart Duncan (Contact)
Monday, December 29, 2008

Authorities found two illegal immigrants dead near Mathis Monday and as many as five illegal immigrants may still be on the loose, San Patricio County officials said.

As many as 19 illegal immigrants were trying to escape from authorities after a San Patricio County Sheriff’s Department deputy was trying to make a routine traffic stop on a pickup truck the individuals were in , San Patricio County Sheriff Leroy Moody said.

The incident happened just after 9 a.m. Monday about five miles east of Mathis on State Highway 359, Moody said.

The truck ran into a ditch off of the highway while trying to escape from authorities and most of those in the vehicle fled on foot. One male in his late 20’s from Honduras was found dead in the back of the truck and may have died from a broken neck although authorities are awaiting the autopsy report, Moody said. Another deceased illegal immigrant from Honduras was found behind a house near Interstate 37 off Farm-To-Market Road 888 in Mathis, Moody said. The cause of death was unknown Monday afternoon, Moody said.

Three other illegal immigrants were transported — one by HALO-Flight and two by ambulance — to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries, Moody said.

As many as nine other illegal immigrants were apprehended by 2 p.m. Monday by as many as 10 law enforcement personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Bee, Live Oak, and San Patricio County Sheriff’s Departments and the Department of Public Safety, Moody said. Those immigrants and the others that were hospitalized were to be turned over to the Border Patrol agents Monday, Moody said.
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