At least five undocumented immigrants are dead and several others hurt as an SUV carrying more than a dozen people crashed while fleeing from Border Patrol agents in South Texas.
Dimmit County Sheriff Marion Boyd says the SUV went out of control at more than 100 mph and overturned on Texas Highway 85, ejecting those inside.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials say four were pronounced dead at the scene midday Sunday. A fifth person died at a hospital.
At least five people are dead and several others hurt as an SUV carrying more than a dozen people crashed while fleeing from Border Patrol agents in South Texas
Four people were killed at the scene and a fifth person died at a hospital in San Antonio
Fourteen people were inside, including the driver and passenger.
Footage of the crash showed four bodies on the ground, the charred Chevrolet and several Border Patrol vehicles at the scene.
Most of the occupants were believed to be living in the country without legal permission according to Fox.
The driver, believed to be a United States citizen, was rushed to a hospital; the passenger, also believed to be a U.S. citizen, currently is in custody.
Border Patrol agents began chasing the vehicle around noon before a Dimmit County sheriff’s deputy took over the chase, just west of Big Wells. The SUV was traveling around 100 mph
There were 14 people in the vehicle. Authorities believe the driver and one passenger are US citizens and the 12 other passengers were undocumented immigrants
Boyd credited ‘good police work’ for the reason why deputies started pursuing the vehicle adding that Boyd said human smuggling was a ‘real problem’ in the area.
Some injured were taken by helicopter to San Antonio, about 90 miles northeast.
The sheriff said he hadn’t spoken to Border Patrol on the exact cause of the pursuit and nature of the crash. He added such chases, not the crash, happened almost every day.
‘The vehicle ran off the road and caught gravel and then tried to recorrect and then caused the vehicle to turn over several times,’ Dimmit County Sheriff Marion Boyd said, pictured
Asked why Border Patrol agents started the chase, Boyd said, ‘It’s called good police work’
Boyd said the driver was known to police, and had been seen in the area ‘last week,’ either scouting the area or looking for immigrants to smuggle.
Boyd said there needs to be a wall built because this is a ‘real problem’ in the area.
‘We’ve seen this many, many times, in not only this county but other counties along the border,’ Boyd said. ‘It’s a problem.’
He added: ‘This is a perfect example of why our borders need to be secure.’