Posted on 03/05/2006 6:12:23 AM PST by radar101
SAN DIEGO – A van carrying suspected illegal immigrants overturned on an Otay Mesa freeway Saturday, injuring at least eight passengers, authorities said. The crash on State Route 905 and Otay Mesa Road was reported at 2:43 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
A San Diego fire dispatcher said eight people were taken to area hospitals.
Border Patrol agents were investigating the crash, a CHP dispatcher said.
A television newscast showed agents handcuffing some of the occupants and loading them into a Border Patrol van.
"Another"Don't ask--Don't Tell" What this does NOT say is there were over 20 passengers in the van. It iover-turned because it ran a red light and hit an American car legally going through the intersection."
Thanks for posting this factoid. The first thing that ran through my mind was a van full of illegal aliens. The second thing was why were only 8 passengers hurt.
The van was only ONE MILE away from the Border.
Smugglers do this a lot. They ask," Who can drive?" Some guy who drove his uncle's tractor onece raises his hand, and he is assigned to drive the "Load".
Hospital was because of LIABILITY. No one had serious injuries, but to CYA, SD PD and Fire sent them for a free medical check-up.
I guess the other 12 were uninjured. They rarely travel in groups of less than 20....unless the vehicle is two-seater in which xase they limit the group to 16.
This LETTER TO THE EDITOR was in today's SD UNION:
This is in response to a recent story about a van that overturned while carrying numerous illegal immigrants who were attempting to elude the Border Patrol on Interstate 905. This story highlighted the need for re-evaluation of our border security and immigration laws.
This unfortunate accident could have been much worse, with horrific consequences to American citizens who drive on our freeways. The precarious situation that the Border Patrol agents were placed in – navigating the freeway at high speed – put many lives at risk. Many of these illegal immigrants were injured and the freeway was backed up for hours.
At what point do we stop these illegal immigrants? In the aftermath of this accident, we are faced with enormous medical bills for the 21 immigrants who were injured. As an emergency room nurse in San Diego County, I am witness to the struggles we have in taking care of the patients in our own communities. Numerous emergency units and helicopters were utilized at the accident scene, leaving a large portion of our county without medical coverage.
This situation is only one example of the amount of money that illegal immigrants cost our taxpayers every day and the risk it places on the rest of the state's hard-working citizens.
Our government needs to urgently re-evaluate how our borders are monitored and the best way for Border Patrol agents to effectively keep these illegal immigrants in their own country.
JENNIFER RANDLES
San Diego
The eight injured were probably those crammed in on the outside of the van. The rest were protected with all of the other illegals.
---- The second thing was why were only 8 passengers hurt. ----
Its called "The airbag effect".
The guy who is sitting on the outside gets crushed between the wall of the truck and the guys who are inside of him. The guys on the inside hit a boney airbag, but a boney airbag is better than the wall of the truck.
"Its called "The airbag effect".
"The guy who is sitting on the outside gets crushed between the wall of the truck and the guys who are inside of him. The guys on the inside hit a boney airbag, but a boney airbag is better than the wall of the truck."
Exactly!
Great word useage: 'bony airbag'!
This is almost daily news here in San Diego. What's unusual is that nobody was killed. Usually the van load of illegals kills a family returning home from Seaworld or the beach.
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