Border Patrol Agent Prevents Potentially Deadly Accident in Arizona

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Tucson, Ariz. — Border Patrol agents assigned to the Wilcox Station rescued six illegal aliens yesterday morning from a moving vehicle on Interstate 10 after the driver and passenger fled the scene afoot.

At approximately 7 a.m. yesterday, Border Patrol agents attempted to pull over a suspected smuggling load vehicle on Interstate 10 near Benson, Ariz. Initially, the Chevrolet Suburban pulled to the side of the westbound lanes of Interstate 10. As the agent approached the vehicle, the driver immediately accelerated and re-entered oncoming traffic. After traveling a short distance, the driver and the front-seat passenger jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled on foot. The agent quickly returned to his vehicle and activated his emergency lights and siren to warn other motorists of the potential danger while using his service vehicle to re-direct the load vehicle safely to the shoulder of the roadway. After securing the vehicle, agents removed five men and one woman from the vehicle and placed them in Border Patrol custody. There were not injuries reported.

After being returned to the Wilcox Station for processing, the group was voluntarily returned to Mexico, while the load vehicle was processed for seizure. The agent's vehicle sustained only minor damage to the back bumper.