Three migrants suffered severe injuries after a vehicle driven by a human smuggler crashed into a guard rail as he attempted to escape officers early Thursday on FM 117 near Batesville, Texas. The migrants were flown to area hospitals from the scene.
The vehicle was initially encountered by a Uvalde County Sheriff’s deputy who requested assistance from neighboring Zavala County. The unidentified driver of the vehicle lost control on the narrow farm road before sending passengers airborne into the roadway.
Breitbart Texas spoke to Zavala County Sheriff Chief Deputy Ricardo Rios, who says the level of human smuggling on roadways leading away from the border is getting out of control. “I am coordinating jail space right now with other counties to make sure we continue to prosecute every one of these cases,” he added.
Rios, who has worked as Chief Deputy Sheriff since 2019, says the human smuggling loads are now routine, as are the accidents, deaths, and injuries.
The county has encountered six human smuggling attempts on local highways since October began. On Wednesday, a pickup truck carrying 13 migrants crashed near Batesville after the driver lost control. Migrants were ejected from the open bed and required lifesaving care. Ambulances and a life flight helicopter were also dispatched to the scene.
The driver in Wednesday’s incident initially attempted to flee after the vehicle crashed before a tire deflation device ended the pursuit. The driver was apprehended after a short foot chase and faces charges for smuggling.
In neighboring Maverick County, a female migrant suffered the loss of a limb in a freight train accident. According to a source within CBP, injured migrants are not taken into custody until stabilized. Then, establishing nationality and legal status is verified.
According to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the cost to provide emergency care to injured migrants is running between $579 and $717 million for uncompensated medical care in public hospitals.
In Fiscal Year 2022, a record 2.2 million migrants were apprehended by Border Patrol after entering the United States along the entire southwest border. Zavala County is located within the Del Rio Sector, the busiest for migrant crossings nationwide.
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.
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