COLUMBUS, New Mexico (AP) — A stolen sport utility vehicle carrying 13 people flipped near the U.S.-Mexican border while trying to avoid police in what authorities believe was a smuggling attempt. Four people were killed and nine were hurt.
The driver, who suffered minor injuries, will face undetermined state and federal charges, said Doug Mosier, a patrol spokesman in nearby El Paso, Texas.
The chase began Wednesday after a Border Patrol agent spotted the Hummer parked along a highway in an area known for smuggling, Mosier said.
When the agent turned on his emergency lights, the Hummer sped away, then turned around and headed toward Mexico, Mosier said. Mosier said the agent stopped chasing the vehicle and called for help.
The Hummer rolled over several times when the driver swerved to avoid tire deflation devices being deployed by Border Patrol agents, Mosier said.
Some passengers may have been thrown from the vehicle, Mosier said.
Two women and two men died, he said. The Border Patrol initially reported the dead as one woman and three men.
