Eight illegal aliens involved in a vehicle crash early Wednesday morning received medical treatment and were released from Yuma Regional Medical Center, but not taken into U.S. Border Patrol custody.
Of those taken to the hospital, one man was flown to Barrow Neurological Center in Phoenix, and a 13-year-old girl was admitted into YRMC following the wreck near Roll, said Border Patrol Yuma sector spokesman Michael Gramley. The other eight walked out of the hospital a few hours later with no Border Patrol contact, an occurrence Gramley said happens from "time to time."
"Border Patrol is definitely concerned about this issue, and we do make an effort to detain those subjects," Gramley said. "Unfortunately, in this case, they were released without the notification of Border Patrol. Border Patrol is constantly working to improve relations with other agencies in an effort to better perform our mission."
Generally, the hospital does not contact Border Patrol if they treat suspected illegal aliens, according to Gramley, but the Yuma County Sheriff's Office did contact Border Patrol about the crash. An agent called the hospital about the eight Wednesday morning, but they were already gone.
Border Patrol national policy directs agents not to take people requiring extensive medical treatment into custody except in significant cases initiated by Border Patrol that involve severe endangerment of life. In those cases, Border Patrol will make arrests to ensure criminal prosecution, Gramley said.
In this instance, Border Patrol had not initiated the case, and the smuggler had already escaped, according to Gramley. Border Patrol is charged for medical treatment provided to people in their custody.
Gramley said this national policy is implemented on a case-by-case basis. "If we have knowledge that a person is a criminal alien, that subject will not be released," he said.
However, in the case of the eight illegal aliens who were released, Border Patrol never had a chance to check any databases for outstanding warrants or prior records. Gramley said agents were initially focused on providing medical assistance, not conducting interviews.
When asked if any of the eight could be criminal aliens, Gramley said it was unknown. "There were certainly no indications that they were," he said.
Mexican Consul Hugo Oliva said his office interviewed those who were injured at the hospital. He said they all were Mexican nationals. The consulate did not pay their medical costs, Oliva said.
Oliva said the consulate did not have contact with them after they left the hospital because they were continuing their trips. "I think they are going to different places," he said. "Two are going to Chicago, others to California. Four were thinking about coming back to Mexico."
The 10 illegal aliens were injured when a 1997 GMC Suburban carrying approximately 20 people failed to make a turn on the Levee Road and flew off a 30-foot embankment near Avenue 38E and County 3-1/2 Street, according to YCSO Capt. Eben Bratcher. The vehicle crashed nose first into the ground and rolled on its top.
"He was driving with the lights off, probably because he didn't want to get spotted," Bratcher said.
The crash occurred around 2:44 a.m. A resident who lives nearby called authorities after hearing yelling in the area. The smuggler, who was not hurt, fled by getting into a second smuggling vehicle that was following.
YCSO responded and found the 10 injured illegal aliens still at the scene. No law enforcement was pursuing the vehicle when it crashed.
Bratcher said one female, who was flown by helicopter to Yuma Regional Medical Center, suffered severe facial injuries and had many teeth knocked out. He expected her to have an extensive stay in the hospital.
The remaining nine injured men sustained minor to moderate injuries, which YCSO said were not life-threatening.
Gramley said agents tracked 11 subjects from the accident scene to Mohawk Elementary School, which is about two miles from the wreck. He said agents interviewed a person nearby who said he saw them get into a white truck and leave the scene. The truck was not located.
Illegals Let Go After Accident
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