LOCAL : San Clemente Mother Injured in Crash With Truck in INS Chase

A car driven by a mother taking her two young sons to school was hit by a truck being pursued by Immigration and Naturalization Service officials this morning in San Clemente, injuring the woman, authorities said.

The crash ended a high-speed chase which began at the North San Diego County border checkpoint, where the truck failed to stop.

Linda D. Chaffee, 42, was injured in the crash, which occurred along El Camino Real at about 8:20 a.m. She was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where she was undergoing surgery, hospital officials said. Her condition was unknown. Her 7-year-old and 2-year-old sons, who were in the car with her, were not injured, police said.

The truck, which had run into heavy morning traffic, was being driven on the wrong side of the street at about 30 m.p.h. in an effort to evade INS officers, said INS spokesman Ted Swofford.

An unidentified man, woman and 2-year-old child, whom authorities believe to be illegal immigrants, were also being treated at the hospital for minor injuries, Swofford said. The man was arrested for illegally entering the United States.

Authorities said the truck had been stolen in San Diego.