Sonoita, Ariz. – A U.S. citizen is in critical condition following a rollover crash Saturday that occurred during an attempt to smuggle illegal aliens and evade U.S. Border Patrol agents near Sonoita, Arizona.
The incident began around 3 p.m. when Border Patrol detection technology spotted a suspicious white Nissan Rogue traveling north from the U.S.-Mexico border near Parker Canyon Lake. Agents from the Sonoita Station quickly located the vehicle as it moved along state Route 83.
Shortly after the sighting, the Rogue came to a brief stop and three individuals fled into the surrounding high desert. The driver then accelerated north, speeding past additional agents stationed along the highway.
Agents activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to yield. A pursuit ensued for approximately four miles, ending when agents came upon a large dust cloud near the intersection of Route 83 and Cimmaron Road. There, they found the Rogue rolled onto its side and the driver lying unconscious outside the vehicle.
Agents immediately called for emergency medical services and moved the driver a safe distance away in case of fire. Due to the severity of the driver's injuries, a medical flight was requested. The driver was airlifted to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.
The three individuals who fled the vehicle were later apprehended. They were identified as two Guatemalan nationals and one Mexican national, all of whom were found to be in the United States illegally. They face charges related to illegal reentry.
The driver of the Rogue, a U.S. citizen, will face charges for alien smuggling.
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