A vehicle used by a human smuggler to move several migrants who had just crossed into Texas went up in flames during a high-speed chase. The vehicle did not crash but instead caught fire as the smuggler pushed the engine past 100 miles an hour for too long, authorities said.
The incident took place on Thursday morning in Kinney County, Texas, when authorities tried to stop a driver suspected of taking part in a human smuggling incident, information shared with Breitbart Texas by the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office revealed.
During the chase, the driver sped away, leading sheriff’s deputies in a high-speed pursuit. According to Kinney County officials, the chase went over 100 miles per hour, causing the engine to overheat and catch on fire. When the driver stopped, the flames spread to a nearby grassy area. Soon, flames consumed the entire vehicle
The driver and at least six passengers who are suspected of being in the country illegally tried to run away. Authorities were able to apprehend some of the migrants. The search for the suspected human smuggler and two more migrants continues.
U.S. Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) shared photographs of the vehicle in flames adding that border security remains one of his top issues.
The fiery chase comes just days after a similar incident took place in Kinney County when a driver from Illinois tried to smuggle five migrants, including a seven-year-old boy. That smuggling attempt turned into another high-speed chase that ended when the vehicle crashed into one of the gates of Laughlin Air Force Base. A Texas DPS spokesman shared a video of the chase and subsequent arrest.
Earlier this month, eight people died when a suspected human smuggler crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle and burst into flames. The alleged smuggler, five migrants, and two innocent civilians died in the devastating crash that ended a police pursuit, Breitbart Texas reported.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.