A migrant died last week after a vehicle smuggling migrants crashed into a pickup truck as they fled troopers in East-Central El Paso, authorities said.
Texas Department of Public Safety state troopers, who were working as part of Operation Lone Star, along with other DPS troopers and U.S. Border Patrol, were alerted about 6:30 p.m. July 2 of a white Chevrolet Camaro involved in human smuggling, DPS officials said.
Operation Lone Star is a border security initiative launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in response to large amounts of migrants attempting to enter the U.S.
A trooper attempted to pull over the Camaro driven by 22-year-old Eduardo Gonzalez Garcia. Garcia stopped "momentarily" in front of Bassett Mall before fleeing from the trooper again, officials said.
Garcia, of Chihuahua, Mexico, led troopers on a short pursuit before crashing into a Ford F-250 at the intersection of Gateway West and Airway boulevards, officials said. The impact of the crash caused the truck to hit a Chevrolet Malibu.
The driver and passenger of the F-250 were taken to University Medical Center for treatment.
Garcia, a woman and four other people were in the Camaro. The four of the people were identified as migrants illegally in the U.S., officials said.
All of the occupants of the Camaro were taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. One of the migrants died July 5, officials said.
No further information was provided on the conditions of the crash survivors.
Garcia was arrested on a suspicion of human smuggling causing death charge. He was booked Friday, July 5, into the El Paso County Jail on a $250,000 bond, jail records show. He remains jailed as of Tuesday, July 9, jail logs show.
No further information has been released.
Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
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