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Van crashes after crossing wrong-way across San Diego border (The Invasion continues.. 55 people!)
AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 5/1/06 | Thomas Watkins - ap

Posted on 05/01/2006 3:33:25 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

A van packed with 55 people and equipped with specially-modified tires drove the wrong-way across the U.S.-Mexico border early Monday and struck an oncoming vehicle before coming to a halt a short time later on a major freeway, officials said.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries in what appeared to be the latest in a series of smuggling attempts by drivers who take enormous risks in vans crowded with illegal immigrants.

The blue Ford XLT 350 van drove north at 3 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which links Tijuana, Mexico with San Diego. The van passed over a spike strip but its tires had been filled with silicone and did not instantly shred, U.S Border Patrol officials said.

As it crossed into the United States, the van struck an oncoming vehicle heading south into Mexico. Early morning traffic was light the busy border crossing.

The van continued north on southbound Interstate 5, then merged north onto southbound Interstate 805, where the driver exited the freeway and looped back around to head south back toward Mexico.

"He may have been disoriented, I can't really tell why he did that," said Michael Bermudez, a spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol.

Agents did not chase the van, which halted in the southbound lanes of I-805 after one of its tires eventually shredded.

Bermudez said everyone in the van, including the driver, appeared to be illegal Mexican immigrants and the van had license plates from Mexico's Baja California state.

All 54 passengers were taken into custody at the scene. The driver fled but was found hiding in a nearby trash bin. All were being processed and were expected to be deported to Mexico, the Border Patrol said.

Smugglers take extreme risks to avoid being captured by the Border Patrol, sometimes racing down highways in the wrong directions with their headlights off at night:

-More than 20 people were injured, eight critically, on Feb. 10 when a van packed with 28 people crashed on the U.S. side of the border with Mexico.

-Last year, a van loaded with eight illegal Mexican immigrants slammed head-on into a pickup truck near Jamul, about 20 miles east of San Diego. Five people were killed.

-In 2003, a van drove against oncoming traffic on Interstate 8 for about 17 miles before swerving back into the westbound lanes. The van, reaching speeds of about 100 mph, spun out of control and crashed, injuring 19 suspected illegal immigrants.

-In 2002, a van carrying 27 people collided with a Ford Explorer on the same roadway. Five people in the van, including the driver, were killed, along with a man in the sport utility vehicle.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; crashes; illegals; immigrantlist; sandiego; sanysidro; tijuana; van; wrongway
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1 posted on 05/01/2006 3:33:29 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Just doing work that 'mericans don't want to do. (i.e., driving headon into oncoming traffic)


2 posted on 05/01/2006 3:35:40 PM PDT by Seeking the truth (0cents.com - Freep Stuff & Pajama Patrol Stuff)
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To: NormsRevenge

How about some of those one-way spikes like they have in parking lots?


3 posted on 05/01/2006 3:36:07 PM PDT by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
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To: NormsRevenge

Didn't they know it was supposed to be a day without immigrants!


4 posted on 05/01/2006 3:36:38 PM PDT by BunnySlippers
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To: NormsRevenge

55 people in a Ford F-350 van? The Border Patrol does not chase?


5 posted on 05/01/2006 3:37:28 PM PDT by devane617 (The truth, not politics, is right for our beautiful America.)
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To: NormsRevenge

I see the driver disposed of himself in the proper receptical.


6 posted on 05/01/2006 3:38:09 PM PDT by CheyennePress
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To: siunevada

Did you read the article?


7 posted on 05/01/2006 3:38:09 PM PDT by devane617 (The truth, not politics, is right for our beautiful America.)
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To: siunevada

I guess you didn't read the article!


8 posted on 05/01/2006 3:38:39 PM PDT by eastforker (Under Cover FReeper going dark(too much 24))
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To: NormsRevenge

Weren't they supposed to take the day off?


9 posted on 05/01/2006 3:38:52 PM PDT by tame (Are you willing to be as SHAMELESS for the truth as leftists are for a lie?)
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To: siunevada
How about some of those one-way spikes like they have in parking lots?

They had it.

From the article: The van passed over a spike strip but its tires had been filled with silicone and did not instantly shred,

10 posted on 05/01/2006 3:39:21 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (Contrary to those who say that United 93 was released too soon, I fear it was shown far too late.)
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To: KarlInOhio

Frome the tag line:(If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? ..........If we learn nothing from reading whats the point of clicking on article.


11 posted on 05/01/2006 3:42:24 PM PDT by eastforker (Under Cover FReeper going dark(too much 24))
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To: NormsRevenge

If only they'd just crash head-on into each other...


12 posted on 05/01/2006 3:46:23 PM PDT by Redbob
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To: devane617

IF they chased and it crashed, bad press. We wouldn't want that, would we? /sarc


13 posted on 05/01/2006 3:49:54 PM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: eastforker; All

Amazingly enough, I did read the article. And the phrase spike strip.

Upright spikes you sling across the traffic lane and pull back once the vehicle drives over it. Looks like they've seen that before.

I mean those 45 degree angled into you bolted into the ground "give us our parking fee or we'll chew you right down to the axle" kind of spike plates.

Ain't no silicone gonna beat that.


14 posted on 05/01/2006 3:50:44 PM PDT by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
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To: NormsRevenge

Fifty-five people in a van?

Were they all midgets?


15 posted on 05/01/2006 3:52:34 PM PDT by Supernatural (I used to care but things have changed.)
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To: siunevada

I think that is what they have on the southbound lanes going into Mexico. No body chased them in persuit.


16 posted on 05/01/2006 3:55:36 PM PDT by eastforker (Under Cover FReeper going dark(too much 24))
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To: Supernatural
Were they all midgets?

..(placing back of hand on one hip and speaking with a pronouced lisp)..no but very close "friends"

Doogle

17 posted on 05/01/2006 3:59:54 PM PDT by Doogle (USAF...8th TFW...Ubon Thailand...428thMMS..."69"...Night Line Delivery...AMMO!!)
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To: Seeking the truth

not true. I saw clowns do this at a circus once only it was in a VW bug.


18 posted on 05/01/2006 4:00:53 PM PDT by Rakkasan1 (lead ,follow or get out of the majority.start with our borders.)
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: NormsRevenge

I blame George Bush for this. He gave the green light to Mexicans to treat this nation like shit and to go as loco as they want when they try to invade. We will never seriously prosecute such desperadoes. I would equip the Border Patrol and Customs with RPGs and let them fire on such scum who endanger the public safety.

The pale faced Euro-Spanish Mexican elites laugh themselves to sleep each night when they read how crazy their peons behave in the gringo nation


20 posted on 05/01/2006 4:09:33 PM PDT by dennisw (http://www.immigrationshumancost.org/)
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