AUSTIN, TX - According to the Associated Press (AP), on Wednesday, November 8th, eight people were killed in a crash after the driver of vehicle suspected of carrying smuggled migrants fled from police and smashed head on into an oncoming vehicle.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) with the state of Texas said that the deadly crash happened around 6:30 in the morning on a South Texas highway. The driver of a 2009 Honda Civic tried to outrun deputies from the Zavala County Sheriff's Office (ZCSO). In doing so, the driver attempted to pass a semi-truck and then collided with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, which caught on fire.
DPS stated that everyone in both vehicles were killed, including the 21-year-old driver of the Civic and his five passengers. DPS spokesman Christopher Olivarez said that some of the passengers in the Civic were from Honduras. The two people in the Equinox were from Georgia.
The individuals from Georgia were later identified as 67-year-old Jose Lerma and 65-year-old Isabel Lerma. Images from the scene of the crash, shared by CBS News, show the two vehicles entirely decimated and charred.
According to Olivarez, the identities of the other deceased victims are being held until the next of kin are notified. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said that it is in communication with ZCSO and awaiting more information about the crash.
The crash, which happened near Batesville, about 80 miles southwest of San Antonio, is now the latest deadly vehicle crash involving migrants who have entered the country illegally. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has tallied 106 deaths in Border Patrol vehicle pursuits from January 2010 to June 2023.
According to NBC News, in 2022, more than 50 migrants were found dead in an abandoned big rig in the sweltering heat of San Antonio. Officials said that the discovery was made when a person who worked in the area heard someone crying for help and spotted at least one body.
Multiple crashes, including deadly ones, have been linked to human smuggling cases. In November 2022, one person was killed and 11 others were hospitalized in La Joya, Texas, after a driver attempted to evade law enforcement and disregarded a red light.
In June 2022, a similar crash occurred in Encinal, Texas, when four migrants were killed and two others were injured when a car carrying the migrants crashed into a TNI Trucking, Co. vehicle. According to the New York Post, back in March of 2023, a man transporting migrants killed a seven-year-old girl, her grandmother and two others as he tried to evade law enforcement.
In February 2023, two teen human smugglers crashed their car on a Texas highway while leading cops on a high-speed chase. The illegal immigrant they were carrying was seriously injured. In response to these deadly encounters, officials developed a new policy for vehicle pursuits with an eye towards increased safety.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) with the state of Texas said that the deadly crash happened around 6:30 in the morning on a South Texas highway. The driver of a 2009 Honda Civic tried to outrun deputies from the Zavala County Sheriff's Office (ZCSO). In doing so, the driver attempted to pass a semi-truck and then collided with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, which caught on fire.
DPS stated that everyone in both vehicles were killed, including the 21-year-old driver of the Civic and his five passengers. DPS spokesman Christopher Olivarez said that some of the passengers in the Civic were from Honduras. The two people in the Equinox were from Georgia.
The individuals from Georgia were later identified as 67-year-old Jose Lerma and 65-year-old Isabel Lerma. Images from the scene of the crash, shared by CBS News, show the two vehicles entirely decimated and charred.
According to Olivarez, the identities of the other deceased victims are being held until the next of kin are notified. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said that it is in communication with ZCSO and awaiting more information about the crash.
The crash, which happened near Batesville, about 80 miles southwest of San Antonio, is now the latest deadly vehicle crash involving migrants who have entered the country illegally. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has tallied 106 deaths in Border Patrol vehicle pursuits from January 2010 to June 2023.
According to NBC News, in 2022, more than 50 migrants were found dead in an abandoned big rig in the sweltering heat of San Antonio. Officials said that the discovery was made when a person who worked in the area heard someone crying for help and spotted at least one body.
Multiple crashes, including deadly ones, have been linked to human smuggling cases. In November 2022, one person was killed and 11 others were hospitalized in La Joya, Texas, after a driver attempted to evade law enforcement and disregarded a red light.
In June 2022, a similar crash occurred in Encinal, Texas, when four migrants were killed and two others were injured when a car carrying the migrants crashed into a TNI Trucking, Co. vehicle. According to the New York Post, back in March of 2023, a man transporting migrants killed a seven-year-old girl, her grandmother and two others as he tried to evade law enforcement.
In February 2023, two teen human smugglers crashed their car on a Texas highway while leading cops on a high-speed chase. The illegal immigrant they were carrying was seriously injured. In response to these deadly encounters, officials developed a new policy for vehicle pursuits with an eye towards increased safety.
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Comments
2023-11-12T16:30-0500 | Comment by: Karen
Mayorkas is 100% responsible.