Two Phoenix women led Border Patrol agents on a chase Saturday night after being stopped east of Why for an immigration inspection.
Ajo Station agents stopped a Toyota Corolla on Federal Route 15 and encountered two women, ages 27 and 28, identified as U.S. citizens. During the encounter, a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect coming from the vehicle’s trunk. When agents opened the trunk, they discovered a 30-year-old Mexican woman inside.
After agents removed the woman from the trunk, the vehicle sped away. Ajo agents pursued the Toyota while agents from the Casa Grande Station setup and deployed a tire deflation device that disabled the vehicle. Both women then fled on foot, east through the desert but were located and arrested for alien smuggling. The Mexican national was processed for immigration violations.