Man Charged With Smuggling 3 Immigrants

A San Diego County man was arraigned in federal court Thursday on charges that he led Border Patrol agents on a chase through Orange County with three frightened illegal immigrants in his car.

Avelardo Rodriguez, 32, of San Ysidro, was arrested Wednesday night after a Border Patrol car rear-ended the Chevrolet sedan he was driving on a residential street in Stanton, said Agent Steve Kean, a spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Rodriguez faces felony smuggling charges in U.S. District Court in San Diego in connection with the chase that began at the San Onofre checkpoint and lasted for more than 40 minutes, Kean said.

Kean said Rodriguez was transporting the illegal immigrants north from San Diego when he approached the checkpoint, located just south of San Clemente, at about 8 p.m.

The Border Patrol agent standing in the middle of the San Diego Freeway signaled Rodriguez to pull over into an inspection area.

Instead, Rodriguez allegedly gunned his car and sped north. Two Border Patrol cars followed him into Orange County.

Rodriguez left the Santa Ana Freeway at Lincoln Avenue. Border Patrol agents continued the pursuit at high speeds through several residential streets in Anaheim and Stanton, Kean said.

As the car entered Stanton, Sheriff’s Department patrol cars joined the pursuit, Kean said. But before the deputies arrived, Rodriguez turned onto Idylwild Drive and then into Courson Drive, a small cul-de-sac near Cerritos and Western avenues.

Rodriguez stopped, jumped out and began to run, Kean said.

One Border Patrol vehicle struck the rear of Rodriguez’s car, causing a minor wrist injury to one of the agents, Kean said.

The agents, however, managed to catch up with Rodriguez, tackling him to the ground.

The illegal immigrants remained in the car, Kean said. They were angry at being placed in danger, Kean said, and may be willing to work with authorities prosecuting Rodriguez’s case.