6 People Killed When Sport Utility Vehicle Overturns

Six suspected illegal immigrants were killed and eight others injured when the sport utility vehicle in which they were riding overturned on Interstate 8 in eastern Imperial County, officials said Friday.

The vehicle, a 1983 Chevrolet Suburban, tumbled twice on Thursday after entering from Mexico in the desert 30 miles east of Calexico, authorities said. Most of the passengers were thrown from the vehicle.

It went out of control when the tread separated from a rear tire, according to a California Highway Patrol report. A CHP spokesman said the tire was not made by Firestone, which has recalled millions of SUV tires susceptible to a similar problem.

In addition to the six killed, two adults and a 17-year-old girl, all from Mexico, were critically injured. Five others suffered moderate or minor injuries.

One person was seen running from the crash toward the Mexican border but was not found, said Manuel Figueroa, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol in El Centro. It has not been determined who was driving.

Figueroa said the pilot of a Border Patrol airplane saw the vehicle cross an open area, then drive to the freeway and go east.

A CHP officer pursued after the driver made an illegal U-turn across the center divider and headed west. The vehicle reached speeds as high as 90 mph, according to the CHP. The officer broke off the chase after learning that Border Patrol agents were nearby, said CHP Officer Steve Henry.

Officials said the vehicle was not being chased when it crashed. “The only thing following it was a fixed-wing aircraft above,” Figueroa said.

Two of the deceased had Mexican voter cards. Imperial County coroner’s officials were working with the Mexican Consulate to identify the others and to notify relatives, said deputy coroner Gary Hayes.

The injured were taken by ambulance to a pair of Imperial County hospitals or airlifted to emergency rooms in San Diego and Yuma. One of the Yuma patients was later airlifted to Phoenix.

It was the second crash involving suspected illegal immigrants in the same area in as many days. On Wednesday, three people were hurt when a stolen sport utility vehicle loaded with 21 people overturned. In August, five died and two others were hurt when a Honda Civic crammed with nine people crashed.