TUCSON, Ariz. — Two Arizona teenagers face human smuggling and child endangerment charges after leading U.S. Border Patrol agents on a reckless chase through the Tohono O’odham Nation over the weekend, authorities said.
Agents from the Three Points Border Patrol Station attempted to stop a silver 2005 Honda Civic on Friday evening after detection systems observed suspicious movements near the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Smuggling organizations frequently recruit young drivers from Phoenix to transport loads,” said Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Modlin. “This case is a disturbing example of the risks involved.”
As agents tried to initiate a stop, two men in camouflage tried to escape from the trunk.
The driver fled off-road with the trunk still open, sending the vehicle through brush and washes before it crashed about 100 yards from Federal Route 19.
“During the pursuit, the two men in the trunk were nearly ejected,” Modlin said. “The driver showed a complete disregard for human life.”
After the crash, agents found a three-year-old child with a bloody nose lying atop her mother in the backseat. Neither were wearing seatbelts.
“Our agents immediately rendered aid to the injured child and mother,” said a Border Patrol spokesperson. “This was a dangerous and irresponsible act that could have ended in tragedy.”
Six people were arrested, including three Guatemalan nationals and one Mexican national.
The 17-year-old driver and a 19-year-old passenger, both U.S. citizens, were charged and taken into custody.
“This incident highlights the growing use of juveniles in smuggling operations,” Modlin said.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
