U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Tucson Sector arrested a U.S. citizen and two Mexican nationals Sunday following a high-speed pursuit near Three Points.
Agents at the state Route 286 checkpoint were conducting immigration checkpoint operations when a Land Rover failed to stop. An aircraft from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations located the vehicle as it sped northbound, helping agents coordinate their pursuit.
Using lights and sirens, agents on the ground tried stopping the vehicle. The Land Rover continued to flee at high speed, weaving through oncoming traffic and endangering lives. Other agents deployed spike strips, but the vehicle sped through them, coming to a stop only after crashing into another car. All three of the Rover’s occupants fled on foot but were quickly apprehended.
The driver, a U.S. citizen with an extensive criminal history, faces federal charges for human smuggling, fleeing law enforcement, and endangering human life. The two Mexican national passengers, a juvenile and an adult, are being processed for unlawful entry into the United States. The adult passenger also has an extensive criminal background.
The penalty is only 5 years;
18 U.S. Code § 758 – High speed flight from immigration checkpoint
Whoever flees or evades a checkpoint operated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or any other Federal law enforcement agency, in a motor vehicle and flees Federal, State, or local law enforcement agents in excess of the legal speed limit shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Why doesn’t the U.S. Border Patrol have the Anti-Pursuit Device that the AZ DPS uses called “The Grappler”??
Throw the book at the driver. Every felony driving charge that can be brought should be, plus the federal smuggling charge. 25 years would be nice.
Agree!