By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Drivers of vehicles transporting illegal border crossers seeking to evade arrest continue to cause car accidents that result in death, both of U.S. citizens and noncitizens. The accidents also cost local taxpayers who foot the bill for emergency and medical response.

Recent incidents in Texas highlight the deadly consequences of high-speed pursuits when human smugglers refuse to pull over and attempt to evade arrest.

Earlier this month, in the Rio Grande Valley, in Brownsville, a U.S. citizen and alleged human smuggler was killed after he crashed into the rear of a tractor trailer truck instead of surrendering to authorities. The incident occurred after Operation Lone Star Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Border Patrol agents were involved in two high-speed chases.

DPS troopers initially spotted the alleged smuggling incident, reporting two vehicles engaged in suspicious activity, and requested assistance from Border Patrol. The U.S. citizen driver of a white Ford F-150 sped away, authorities said, leading Border Patrol on a high-speed chase that ended after the collision. DPS troopers pursued the driver of the other vehicle.

Even after additional Border Patrol agents arrived on scene, one illegal border crosser inside the F-150 bailed out and got away. Border Patrol agents “initiated a search but were unable to locate the individual,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said when announcing the incident. Two passengers inside the truck were in the country illegally. Both received emergency medical services and were transported to nearby medical centers. Brownsville Fire Department officers extracted the driver from the truck, who was pronounced dead by the Cameron Justice of the Peace.

Border Patrol agents also “responded to both medical facilities and initiated hospital watch on both illegal aliens,” CBP said. The female passenger continues to receive medical care at the hospital; the male passenger suffered minor injuries, was treated and released into Border Patrol custody.

Also in the Rio Grande Valley, two people drowned after a high-speed chase resulted in the driver driving into a canal. In this case, Border Patrol agents responded to a suspected human smuggler event following a vehicle that left Roma to an apartment complex parking lot in McAllen. Border Patrol agents observed the driver of a Ford Explorer previously suspected of being used in human smuggling pick up a group of people who got out of the vehicle from Roma, CBP said.

They later pulled over the Explorer and approached on foot. Before they could reach the vehicle, the driver sped away, authorities said. A pursuit ensued resulting in the driver driving into a canal, where it quickly submerged in the water. Border Patrol then began pulling people out of the vehicle and canal. Elsa Fire Department personnel and DPS air support responded and recovered five people from the canal. Survivors told emergency personnel people were still missing.

Later on, a San Juan city dive team recovered a woman’s body. A DPS dive team located a deceased juvenile male submerged inside the Explorer in the water. The medical examiner listed their cause of death as drowning; their manner of death was listed as homicide on the autopsies. The driver was charged with human smuggling, which may be amended to include homicide.

In El Paso, two illegal border crossers were killed after a driver lost control in a high-speed chase. In this instance, Border Patrol agents observed a group of suspected illegal border crossers entering a black Infiniti sedan near the University of Texas at El Paso. The driver immediately sped away, leading Border Patrol agents in pursuit. Those inside threw a rock that hit the windshield of the Border Patrol agent’s vehicle, CBP said.

Another Border Patrol agent and DPS trooper parked nearby initiated a pursuit, but the driver got away. They later found the vehicle after the driver lost control and crashed into a light pole causing the vehicle to flip over. Seven people were inside, including six illegal border crossers and the driver, a male U.S. citizen.

Border Patrol agents requested emergency medical services, which were provided by El Paso Fire Department EMS. Later on, the county examiner pronounced two men dead, one was a Mexican national, the other a Guatemalan national. Both were in the country illegally.