We still have no word on any of the injured who were medivac'ed to Tucson and Phoenix.
Posted on 10/16/2004 7:21:03 PM PDT by nuconvert
Fleeing SUV Suspected of Carrying Illegal Immigrants Causes 11-Car Crash, Killing Six in Ariz.
The Associated Press
SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (AP) - A stolen sport utility vehicle that had been chased by deputies rolled over at a busy intersection near a Army post Saturday, causing an 11-car crash that killed six people and injured 15, sheriff's officials said. Deputies believed the SUV was carrying illegal immigrants in Cochise County, in southeastern Arizona. They first saw the vehicle driving out of a brushy area along a highway and trailed it for a short time, sheriff's spokeswoman Carol Capas said.
Deputies called for backup and stopped chasing the vehicle after the suspect sped and drove away recklessly, Capas said.
Authorities then spotted the SUV heading north on State Route 90. Sierra Vista police officers used tire deflation devices to slow the vehicle, said Frank Valenzuela, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.
At a busy intersection near the east entrance to Fort Huachuca, the driver lost control and the SUV rolled several times, causing a wreck that involved 11 cars, Valenzuela said.
The crash occurred shortly before noon. Traffic in the area was diverted to Tombstone while authorities investigated.
The vehicle had been reported stolen in Phoenix, Capas said.
Carolyn
Well, it's confusing. The original story doesn't say.
The post by idratherbepainting says it was a pick-up truck and that the 'illegals' were killed.
True. Rush is kind of a "Country Club Republican".
I bet Michael Savage will bring it up.
Sounds like a lot of car thievery going on down there. If this keeps up, St. Louis will lose the claim that its the car theft capitol of the U.S.A.
I'd hate to be a law enforcement officer in this day and age. They'll probably pick up some of the blame for this by the leftist do-gooders.
And the American government for allowing the ba$tards to cross our unprotected borders.
and the cops for being such freaking morons as to us a spike strip at an INTERSECTION!
I can't remember if it was Cochise county or Arapahoe county where the local FBI issued a flyer saying if someone believed in the Constitution and the Bible, they were a 'domestic terrorist'
Any helpful FReepers remember?
They are more prone to rollover, especially when fully loaded :)
We're not going to hear these politicians say this wouldn't have happened, if there was a wall along the borders with our National Guard on it until the Border Patrol can hire sufficient personnel to guard the wall.
We're going to hear that we need a new 'Bracero Program', open borders and unlimited, earned legalization.
I've been told the Border Patrol is sending out letters to thousands of applicants, that took the test for the (estimated 44,000?) new positions with the Customs/Border Patrol Agency, informing them that they have determined that they don't really need that many more agents anymore, thanks anyway.
Maybe Ajnin or Marine Inspector have heard something to this effect?
Holy smokes. Another flat out assault on US citizens that will fade quietly with exception to a few who care to notice.
We should send the tab to Mexico....along with a serious tactical warning.
I believe Phoenix has overtaken St. Louis with that dubious honor, where that SUV came from.
Doesn't the main road through Sierra Vista [Fry?]just about do a 90 degree right at the main gate?
As I remember, the other gate would be in Huachuca City where the road dips.
What's strange about this story is that while it was taking place another few dozen were probably walking across through the fort itself...
We still have no word on any of the injured who were medivac'ed to Tucson and Phoenix.
Ouch!
Like others have posted, I sure hope they got to the US citizens stopped in the turn lane before they glanced at the illegals.
I'm also waiting to hear the original nationality of those in the PU/SUV; do you have any on-scene sources?
Phoenix FBI office and the Maricopa County Sheriffs office.
You could bet money they left the Americans to bleed to death while they transported the illegals first. Political correctness rules.
You must be joking ---- more likely the Mexican government is preparing a lawsuit right now against the police for putting up a roadblock and against the Americans who were blocking their route of escape. Illegals have no good reason to run unless they are wanted for some serious crime or are hauling drugs also. The Mexican government never cares about it's humble farm worker types ---- but these were likely it's valuable drug cartel types.
Often hispanic-Americans are the victims of criminal illegals --- it really isn't about race at all. Mexican isn't even a race --- that country is a mixed-race country just like the USA.
Or who knows what (who) else they were smuggling.
Sigh. When do we fight back? /despair
I have not heard anything. I do know there is a hiring freeze on CBP Officers and they are revamping the academy, again. As for the BP Agents, I don't know.
BY BILL HESS
Sunday, October 17, 2004 9:38 AM MDT
Herald/Review
SIERRA VISTA - Six people are dead and 22 were injured after a truck crashed into a line of vehicles at the intersection of the Highway 90 Bypass and Buffalo Soldier Trail Saturday afternoon.
The pickup truck, which is suspected of carrying illegal immigrants, initially was pursued by Cochise County Sheriff's deputies, who backed off after the pickup reached excessive speeds, Sheriff Larry Dever said.
After the vehicle was later seen heading north on Highway 90, a set of tire spikes was put on the road by a Sierra Vista Police Department officer near the intersection of the bypass and Buffalo Soldier Trail, an eyewitness and law enforcement official both said.
The crash then occurred at about noon, leading to a scene that some described as looking like the aftermath of a car bombing, although there was no fire, crater or scorched vehicles. Eleven vehicles were involved.
Initial reports indicate the truck's driver lost control, causing the vehicle to go airborne, smashing the tops of vehicles waiting to make a left turn off the southbound part of Highway 90 onto the bypass.
One vehicle was turned on its side, while another was hit by the pickup truck, pushing it out of the left-turn lane to the far right lane. That vehicle was so badly crushed that two occupants in it were killed.
Rescuers had a hard time removing the unidentified dead. Blankets and sheets covered the unrecognizable vehicle.
Automotive parts were spread throughout the area, as leaking fuel and transmission and brake fluid flowed on the road, causing a red and black sheen in pools and narrow streams.
Broken glass, vehicle grilles, books, papers and clothing were on the road in a helter-skelter manner.
Pools of blood were easily discernible. A baseball cap was in one pool.
The bodies of two apparent illegal immigrants laid in the highway's two northbound lanes.
A large red tarp where the injured were treated covered a portion of the right northbound lane. The tarp was covered with used rubber gloves and medical equipment.
Near it, emergency medical technicians worked on a man - apparently an illegal immigrant - using CPR in an attempt to revive him. It was to no avail. After nearly a half hour of pumping on his chest and using an air bag to over his mouth, they gave up.
Someone gently covered the man's face and draped a sheet over his body.
The body was moved to the left northbound lane, taken off the gurney and placed on the ground next to another body.
When the pickup truck went into the air, a number of people were thrown from the vehicle. One person landed more than 50 feet from where the truck came to rest on its side.
A U.S. Border Patrol helicopter circled the area because suspected illegal immigrants were seen fleeing the scene. The Border Patrol also brought in an officer and dog to help in the search.
Department of Public Safety Officer James Oien said a search is on for the pickup's driver, who reportedly fled the scene. The driver is described as "a Hispanic man with a pony tail."
Most of the injured, whose injures ranged from life-threatening to minor cuts and bruises, were taken by ambulance to Sierra Vista Regional Health Center.
A number of air evacuation helicopters responded, taking the most seriously injured to University Medical Center in Tucson and St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Oien said.
The driver of the truck that caused the carnage "created innocent victims," Oien said.
Dever was more direct in how he views what happened.
The continuing unconcern that smugglers of illegal immigrants have for the rights of U.S. citizens must stop, he said.
"This is big and bad. This is the kind of an incident that I knew was going to happen," the sheriff said.
For more than seven years those involved in illegal immigrant smuggling have pushed their activities beyond reason, he said.
"They're idiots, and they have caused the death of our citizens," Dever said.
The incident began around 11:30 a.m. when the pickup was spotted coming out of Ash Canyon, failing to stop before entering Highway 92.
"He (the driver) almost caused an accident," Dever said. "He blew the stop sign."
A deputy saw the incident and began a pursuit, while checking the license plate of the truck, the sheriff said. The vehicle check came back as being stolen from Phoenix.
As the pursuit continued, the truck reached high speeds, and the deputy backed off, Dever said.
The deputy lost sight of the truck. It was spotted again on Buffalo Soldier Trail, and another deputy began to pursue it. But again because of excessive speeds, "my guy backed off," the sheriff said.
During the pursuit, another deputy put out tire spikes, but removed them before the truck arrived, he added.
The fleeing vehicle was lost again. The pile-up occurred by the time deputies arrived at the intersection.
Alma Fox, who was driving a car and was last in line to make a left turn on to the bypass, said things happened fast.
She said she saw somebody from the Sierra Vista Police Department put out what she thought were tire spikes before the incident. Then she saw a truck going through the air, after it hit the first vehicle in the turn lane.
Frank Valenzuela, a DPS spokesman, also said Sierra Vista police officers used tire deflation devices to slow the vehicles. The DPS is investigating the accident.
"Before I knew it there were bodies flying through the air," said Fox, a Benson resident who was on her way to work in Sierra Vista.
Eight bodies landed to her left and three to her right, she said.
Although her car was not damaged, Fox said she had no idea how anyone in the other vehicles survived.
Sierra Vista Assistant Fire Chief Randy Redmond said at least 20 people were in the truck.
Alison Bockstahler was directly in front of her. Her car had minor front end damage after the pickup truck in front of her was pushed into her vehicle.
The only thing she remembered was a sound like an explosion and seeing an airborne truck. She didn't see bodies going through the air.
"It happened so quick," said Bockstahler, an Army specialist assigned to the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion on the fort.
Redmond said almost every local emergency service capability responded and worked together well.
"Nearly all of Sierra Vista's resources for emergency care and management was dispatched for assistance," he said.
An incident command structure was put in place, and a triage and treatment center was established right by the accident area. Victims were prioritized according to the severity of their injures and sent to the Sierra Vista hospital or ones out of the area, Redmond said.
DPS, Sierra Vista Police Department, Cochise County Sheriff Department, Fort Huachuca Military Police, U.S. Border Patrol, Sierra Vista Fire Department, Fry Fire District, Fort Huachuca Fire Department, Whetstone Fire Department, Bowie Fire Department, Huachuca City Fire Department and ambulances from as far away as Benson and Sonoita responded to the scene.
As emergency personnel worked at the scene, Highway 90 was closed from the intersection of Kayetan Drive and Buffalo Soldier Trail, which connects with the Highway 90, to Mustang Corners north of Huachuca City.
The fort's East Gate also was closed to alleviate traffic from leaving the post and interfering with medical assistance at the accident scene.
Drivers were rerouted through Tombstone until the highway reopened at about 7 p.m.
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