EAGLE PASS, Texas — A Texas motorist accidentally struck a group of migrants walking along a busy highway near Eagle Pass, Texas, late Saturday night. The migrant group recently crossed the Rio Grande into the United States in an area where hundreds cross daily hoping to surrender to authorities. The crash left one migrant dead and three others, including a toddler, with serious injuries.
The crash occurred shortly before midnight on Saturday night just north of Eagle Pass as a vehicle left the roadway striking the migrants. Authorities identified the deceased migrant as a female. Her child remains clinging to life after being airlifted to a San Antonio hospital. The father of the child, according to authorities, was also injured and is listed in critical condition in a local hospital. One other migrant unrelated to the deceased are also listed as in critical condition.
One migrant did not sustain injuries in the accident and was turned over to the Border Patrol for processing. The identity or nationality of the three migrants who remain hospitalized have not been released by authorities. According to a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson, the deceased migrant is identified as Yesenia Gonzalez Oliva, age 20.
Police arrested the driver of the vehicle that struck the migrants for driving with a suspended license. Authorities did not disclose the driver’s identity. The accident is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol. Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber spoke with Breitbart Texas concerning the medical status of the migrants. The sheriff added that the last few days have proven deadly to several migrants due to heavy rains that have struck the area.
On Sunday, steady rain continued to fall and may have contributed to the accident according to authorities. Despite the rainfall and rise in the water flow of the Rio Grande, migrants continue crossing through the area. As exclusively reported by Breitbart Texas, last week a group of more than 50 migrants apprehended by the Border Patrol reported seeing several migrants swept away by the strong currents.
Thus far, the bodies of thirteen migrants from the incident have been recovered from the river as authorities on both sides of the border continue search and recovery efforts. With rains forecasted over the coming days, the deadly conditions are likely to worsen, Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens warned. Sunday’s accident brings the death count of migrants who died while crossing the Mexican border in Eagle Pass over the last four days to at least 14.
Eagle Pass, part of the Del Rio Sector of the Border Patrol, is now the hotspot for migrant crossings and currently leads all other border cities in migrant apprehensions. As reported exclusively by Breitbart Texas, more than 52,000 migrants crossed the Mexican border into the Texas-based Del Rio Sector in August, according to a source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This is an increase over the record-setting number of apprehensions set in July.
The August apprehensions in the Del Rio Sector represent nearly 45 percent of the almost 117,000 migrants arrested in the five Texas-based border sectors in August, Breitbart reported.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect the time of day the accident occurred. Additional information from the Texas Department of Public Safety has been added.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.