According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday, a Texas man allegedly led authorities on a 50-mile pursuit near the southern border on Monday.
What We Know:
- The driver was Sebastian Tovar, 24, of Austin, Texas. According to NBC, Tovar was initially driving north in a maroon truck near Del Rio when Texas Public Safety officers attempted to stop him for speeding. Instead, Tovar led DPS on a high-speed chase at speeds over 100 mph before colliding head-first into another truck. Tovar attempted to flee on foot after the crash but was taken into custody by officers.
- All of the eight passengers in the truck with Tovar were killed. In addition, the driver and passenger of the truck he collided with are hospitalized but in stable condition. The complaint also states that officers encountered a beige pickup while directing traffic around the crash site that 12 occupants then jumped out of, fleeing the area.
- After authorities apprehended the migrants, two of them confirmed during interviews the details of their plan. The migrants illegally crossed into the U.S. with about 20 people and were then split up between the maroon and beige trucks.
- The crash comes only a few weeks after another deadly crash involving migrants in California. During that incident, a truck crammed with 25 people snuck through a gap in the border wall and was later struck by a tractor-trailer. The collision killed 13 of the occupants, ten of which were Mexican citizens, AP reported.
Tovar is currently being held in federal custody and could face up to life in prison if convicted.
