Special to the NEWS
A late Saturday night vehicular chase between law enforcement and what authorities describe as an alleged human smuggler attempting to escape from authorities led to a crash that claimed three lives.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), three people died in a crash caused by a San Benito man fleeing Border Patrol during an alleged human smuggling attempt.
According to a DPS press release, the four-vehicle crash occurred on State Highway 4 and N. Indiana Avenue.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that the United States Border Patrol (USBP) attempted to stop a red BMW 328i for human smuggling,” the release stated.
According to the press release, the BMW’s driver, 34-year-old San Benito resident Juan Munoz, was allegedly smuggling two Mexican nationals, a Honduran man and two Costa Rican nationals, as Border Patrol attempted to stop the vehicle as it was heading westbound on State Highway 4 near FM 1419.
The press release said Munoz allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of State Highway 4 and N. Indiana Avenue, colliding into a green Hyundai Santa Fe driven by a woman with a young male passenger inside.
The Hyundai rolled over multiple times before coming to rest in the westbound lanes of State Highway 4, according to DPS officials.
The BMW, meanwhile, spun and veered into the eastbound lanes of State Highway 4, where it struck a silver GMC Sierra driven by a male subject.
The BMW continued spinning and then hit an Acura MDX SUV driven by a female driver, with a young male as a passenger, according to DPS.
The DPS statement said the driver and passenger of the Hyundai were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries, as well as the driver of the GMC. The driver of the Acura refused medical attention, according to the release.
Munoz was taken to Valley Regional Medical Center, where he later died.
DPS continues to investigate the accident and will identify the remaining victims once next of kin have been notified of their deaths.