El Paso.- On the morning of Wednesday, October 2, two human trafficking-related chases culminated in separate crashes near the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and on Transmountain Road, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The first accident occurred around 7 am, when DPS special agents, with the support of patrol cars, attempted to stop a Chrysler 300 involved in human smuggling. The driver, identified as Ever Orlando Márquez-Díaz, 23, originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, fled at high speed on Transmountain Road. According to DPS, Márquez-Díaz was unable to control the vehicle on a curve and crashed into a cable barrier.
The vehicle stopped shortly after and Márquez-Díaz was arrested on human smuggling charges. Seven migrants traveling in the car were detained and turned over to the United States Border Patrol. No injuries were reported during this incident.
The second crash occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m., when another Chrysler 300, also linked to human trafficking, was pursued by DPS officers on I-10. The driver, identified as Gavriela Batres-Ramos, 21, from Sunland Park, New Mexico, hit two vehicles during the chase, according to DPS.
After the crash, Batres-Ramos attempted to flee on foot, but was captured shortly after. She was taken to the El Paso County Jail and faces charges of human smuggling and evading in a vehicle. The seven migrants traveling in the car were turned over to the Border Patrol. No one was injured in this incident.
The crash forced the closure of all lanes of the I-10 East freeway, which were reopened later in the morning, according to TxDOT.
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