4 Die As SUV Overturns on Calif. Highway
EL CENTRO, Calif. (AP) - An SUV believed to be carrying illegal immigrants overturned
on a desert highway as it was being followed by U.S. Border Patrol agents, killing
four people and injuring 17 others, authorities said.
Helicopters airlifted the injured to three hospitals and the highway briefly was
closed after Sunday's crash.
The Chevrolet Suburban rolled over about 5:30 p.m. in Imperial County, about 20 miles
north of the border, said Border Patrol spokesman William Robbins.
The driver, who was pinned behind the wheel, was taken to a hospital and may face
smuggling and endangerment charges, Robbins said.
Robbins said agents had signaled the sport utility vehicle with their lights and
tried to stop it with a spike strip. But the Suburban swerved around the tire deflation
device.
After agents saw the driver continue, they stopped their close pursuit, but followed
the SUV at a distance in case it dropped off passengers, Robbins said.
``We don't want to stay on top of them because we don't want to cause an accident,''
he said.
Mexican officials in the past have criticized U.S. enforcement agencies for high-speed
pursuits of suspected illegal immigrants.
(To He_l with Mexican Officials. They should mind
their own business.)
In March, two men died and 20 people were injured when a truck
swerved to miss a spike strip and crashed on Interstate 8.
Sunday's pursuit began after a game warden at Pichaco State Park saw what he believed
were undocumented immigrants being loaded into two vehicles. The park is heavily
used by illegal immigrants trying to avoid a border patrol checkpoint near Andrade.
After the crash was discovered, the second vehicle was found farther along the highway,
empty, and those passengers were being sought, authorities said.