Crash leaves one dead, three injured in human smuggling incident

UPDATED 3:45 p.m.

One person identified as a Mexican national was killed in a two-vehicle rear-end crash on I-10 at Rita Road Wednesday night, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Homeland Security.

DPS says one semi-truck rear ended another semi on I-10 at 11:37 p.m., temporarily closing the freeway to traffic. DPS says one truck was carrying passengers, and multiple people were ejected in the crash. Homeland Security confirmed that the four passengers were undocumented and that the incident was related to human smuggling.

One of those undocumented individuals, identified only as a Mexican national, was declared dead at the crash site. Homeland Security Deputy Press Secretary Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe says the other three were transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

O'Keefe says the four people were traveling inside the passenger compartment when the crash occurred.

Full statement from Homeland Security Deputy Press Secretary Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe:

“On July 25, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tucson, responded to a human smuggling event resulting in the death of a Mexican national on I-10 near Rita Road exit (mm 273).

Initial reporting indicates that four noncitizens were traveling inside the passenger compartment of commercial tractor trailer when the tractor trailer was involved in a vehicle accident resulting in the death of one of the noncitizens, three additional noncitizens were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson is prosecuting this ongoing investigation.”

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