A car carrying smuggled migrants crashed into oncoming traffic in Texas, resulting in the deaths of eight people. The driver attempted to flee from the police but collided with another vehicle. This incident marks the second highest death toll of a crash involving migrants since a similar incident in California in 2021. The US Customs and Border Protections recently updated their vehicle pursuit policy to prioritize safety. The Texas Department of Public Safety has not yet commented on the incident. Sarah Al-Arshani reported
A car suspected of transporting smuggled migrants attempted to escape from police and crashed into oncoming traffic, resulting in the death of eight individuals in Texas. According to officials, the driver of a 2009 Honda Civic tried to flee from officers with the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office near Batesville, Texas. The driver tried to overtake a semi-truck in a no passing zone and collided with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, causing it to catch fire. All passengers in both vehicles perished. The driver of the Civic was a 21-year-old from Houston, and some of the passengers were from Honduras. The identities of the other victims have not been disclosed. This incident is the second deadliest crash involving migrants since a collision in Holtville, California in March 2021. US Customs and Border Protections updated their vehicle pursuit policy in January to enhance safety. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Border Patrol car chases have resulted in 106 migrant deaths from January 2010 to June 2023. The Texas Department of Public Safety has not yet responded to inquiries from USA TODAY..
A car that was suspected of carrying smuggled migrants tried to escape from the police and ended up crashing into oncoming traffic, resulting in the death of eight people in Texas. The incident occurred on Wednesday near Batesville, Texas when the driver of a 2009 Honda Civic attempted to flee from officers with the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. The driver, a 21-year-old from Houston, had five passengers in the car, some of whom were from Honduras. The car collided with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox while trying to pass a semi truck in a no passing zone. The collision caused the Equinox to catch fire, ultimately leading to the death of all passengers in both vehicles.
The identities of the victims, aside from the two individuals from the Equinox identified as Jose Lerma, 67, and Isabel Lerma, 65, have not been made public. This tragic incident is now the second deadliest migrant crash in recent years, following a collision in Holtville, California in March 2021 that claimed the lives of 13 people. In that crash, a semitruck collided with an SUV carrying 25 people, many of whom were from Mexico.
It is worth mentioning that U.S. Customs and Border Protections implemented an updated policy for vehicle pursuits in January to prioritize safety. However, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Border Patrol car chases have led to 106 migrant deaths between January 2010 and June 2023. The CBP’s policy does not explicitly prohibit pursuits but emphasizes the need to consider the risks they pose to the public and the law enforcement benefits. Factors such as these should be taken into account when deciding whether to initiate or terminate a pursuit.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has not yet responded to USA TODAY’s request for comment regarding the incident..