Posted on 10/19/2004 6:58:55 AM PDT by HiJinx
SIERRA VISTA - The alleged driver of a stolen truck full of illegal immigrants is in a Tucson hospital with a skull fracture, a law enforcement officer said Sunday.
The Cochise County sheriff plans to pursue criminal charges against the driver, who is believed to be responsible for the death of two Huachuca City residents and three illegal immigrants in Saturday's horrific crash.
Officer Frank Valenzuela, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Highway Safety, identified the driver as Jorge Ortiz, 27, an illegal immigrant from Mexico.
Ortiz apparently lost control of the 2004 white Ford pickup Saturday, crashing into a line of vehicles waiting to make a left turn on to the Highway 90 Bypass.
The crash took the lives of five people and injured 23, Valenzuela said Sunday afternoon.
Two of the dead were Huachuca City resident James H. Lee, 75, and Emilia Guthrie, 71. Lee was the driver of another truck, and Guthrie was a passenger in his vehicle.
Three illegal immigrants from Mexico also were killed in the wreck. They were identified as Maria Herndanez-Espinosa, Mauro Macedal-Hernandez and Eric Sanchez-Dominguez. The ages of these three were not given.
On Saturday, officials reported that six people died in the accident. But a reverification of the victims who died brought the death toll to five and raised the number of injured to 23.
Bouquets of flowers were placed Sunday near the scene of the 10-vehicle accident - one carrying the illegal immigrants and nine others waiting to make the turn. A small American flag was near the flowers.
Saturday's scene was one of death and destruction.
By Sunday, the only signs of what happened the day before were piles of sand covering spilled fluids and small pieces of broken glass. The pickup truck's skid marks also were more visible.
Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said he wants the heaviest criminal charges filed against Ortiz by the county attorney if the Mexican man is confirmed to be the driver of the pickup carrying illegal immigrants.
"I want him to spend the rest of his life in prison," Dever said. "I want him charged to the fullest extent of the law."
The driver showed uttered disregard for the law and "wanton disregard for the lives of others," he said.
The sheriff said charges should include reckless endangerment for the way Ortiz drove, and homicide for the deaths of innocent people, U.S. and Mexican citizens.
The felony endangerment began when the driver turned out of Ash Canyon on to Highway 92 without stopping at a stop sign, Dever said.
A deputy saw the incident and started pursuing the vehicle until the fleeing pickup truck hit excessive speeds. The vehicle was later determined to be stolen in Phoenix.
The deputy backed off, but the truck's driver continued at high speeds, driving in the left-turn lane of the highway before turning on to Buffalo Soldier Trail.
Dever said the driver went through stop signs and traffic lights, oblivious to what he was doing. The sheriff called the driver a "maniac."
"Profit and greed was driving him," he said.
Such smuggling of illegal immigrants is a lucrative and planned event, Dever said. Individuals like the driver have no regards for anybody or anything, he added.
Although a deputy put out tire spikes, the device was removed before the pickup reached it on Buffalo Soldier Trail.
At the intersection, near Fort Huachuca's East Gate, Sierra Vista police arrived and an officer placed a tire-deflating device on the highway.
Megan Chon, who was in a vehicle at the intersection, said when the officer threw out the device, it was like "he was casting a fishing net."
Sierra Vista police patrol vehicles were used to stop traffic as the pickup truck quickly approached the intersection, said Chon, who had just left the post.
From what she could see, the officer put the tire deflating device close to the southern end of the intersection in the northbound lanes.
Hearing what sounded like an explosion, Chon said the officer who threw out the tire spikes was at first ecstatic, but his demeanor quickly changed as he held his head in disbelief at the resulting crash.
"The white truck was just a blur. It had to be traveling fast," Chon said.
Valenzuela said the driver was doing at least 90 mph, although there isn't an official speed.
DPS is looking into speed as the main factor in the accident, which could have led the driver to lose control of the truck.
Tire deflation devices normally do not blow out wheels, Valenzuela said. The object of the spikes is to create a slow leak so a driver can still maintain control of a vehicle.
Part of the investigation will be to determine how the driver lost control, Valenzuela said.
Of the 23 people who were injured, 15 were classified as level one trauma patients, which is considered the most serious. Thirteen people were flown to two medical facilities in Tucson - the University Medical Center and the Tucson Medical Center - and two were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Valenzuela said.
The breakdown of how many were U.S. or Mexican citizens was not available Sunday.
Federal agencies are involved in the investigation, Valenzuela said.
Andy Adame, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, said injured illegal immigrants will be questioned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials as they are discharged from the hospital.
Two Border Patrol vehicles were at the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center on Sunday. An agent, who had just arrived, said he was there to pick up an illegal immigrant who was being released from the medical facility.
Valenzuela said between 20 and 25 illegal immigrants were crowded into the pickup truck.
A few fled the scene and have not been apprehended.
An initial report stated the driver of the pickup truck, described as a Hispanic man with a ponytail, fled. That turned out to be incorrect, Valenzuela said.
"We believe Ortiz is the driver," he said.
Some of the fleeing illegal immigrants could have gone on post property, but there have been no reports of any of them being found.
The support the emergency responders received was overwhelming, Valenzuela said.
"Many citizens came to help, and their support was impressive," he said.
She said that if Mexico did more to care for their poor people, they wouldn't be crossing our border to die.
Ping for those who were following this story...
Sad anti-illegal-immigration bump
Hoppy
Sadly, because of pandering by BOTH parties from the top down, the only person who's going to suffer consequences in this day of illegal's are exempt from any laws is the officer that threw out the tire spikes.
Thanks for the updates.
The first article that I read said that the vehicle was a SUV and now this article says a pickup. Either way, the idiot was going 90 to 100 miles an hour and it was just a matter of time before an accident.
I am sick and tired of people blaming law enforcement for these accidents.
Trial lawyers representing the dead illegals will soon be filing a lawsuit against Ford, alleging that the vehicle's tendency to roll-over caused the crash, and the deaths..
A large percentage of the blame needs to be set squarely on the elected officials who pander to illegal aliens and support programs that entice them to break our immigration laws.
Then we have the other group, those that refuse to support the enforcement of the immigration laws.
You certainly know who I am referring to.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people can cram into a vehicle! Sheesh. The driver should DEFINITELY be charged AND CONVICTED of homicide. Period. Maybe if we executed a few of these criminals, others would think twice about trying this.
These reporters just keeping getting worse. Wheels don't blow out, tires do.
Carolyn
coyote ugly bump
This is totally common, when I lived in San Diego I cannot recall how many times I read about illegal aliens crashing vans and killing innocent Americans as well as themselves. Makes me SICK SICK SICK!!! Oh and don't forget, if an illegal was to crash into you, you have NO recourse to sue or get any kind of damages. I have met a few people in California who's lives were ruined by illegals crashing into them.
Costs that should be laid at the feet of those who benefit from illegal labor, along with all the hidden others.
Mr. Hess is a running joke down here. But, he's the 'senior reporter' on staff and the editor likes him.
The fact is, his politics, when they are allowed to peek through, are right of center. He is on our side regarding illegal aliens and their devastating impact on our society, environment, and pocketbooks.
Anecdote: In Sunday's article, Mr. Hess compared the scene to "a car bomb explosion, except there was no crater, no smoke, and no fire." My wife read that and just shook her head.
With 20 or so illegals packed inside the truck, I am sure the trial lawyers will sue. Doesn't it seem strange that illegals can sue our government for any frivolous thing but Americans can't sue? My guess is that they will probably sue the police department not the auto maker.
GIVE ME A BREAK!! In Illinois when illegals rape children they give them 2 options!!
10 Serve Jail Time
2) Be deported (guess what ? Mexicans aren't that stupid! They choose to be deported.
It is the latest rage in Crimminal justice.
SINCE WHEN IS DEPORTATION CONSIDER A PUNISHMENT??
Move to Illinois you will find out the sad truth!!
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