Eight Migrants Dead in Texas Crash

Are border deaths becoming the new normal?

By Andrew R. Arthur on March 22, 2021

On March 15, eight Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States were killed in a head-on collision on U.S. 277, 30 miles north of Del Rio, Texas, after a high-speed chase. Note that this is not the same incident as the one on March 2 where 13 migrants in a Ford Expedition were killed in a collision after entering a hole cut through a border fence near Holtville, Calif. The lack of coverage raises the question of whether border deaths are becoming the "new normal". They should not be.

As the DOJ press release for the Texas case reports, one "Sebastian Tovar", identified as a "24-year-old Austin resident", has been charged federally with transporting illegal aliens resulting in death. He faces up to life in prison, if convicted.

According to DOJ, Tovar was speeding in a maroon pickup truck near the border town of Del Rio, when a Texas state trooper attempted to pull him over.

Tovar did not stop, but rather led the trooper on a 50-mile chase at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour. Tovar, who was headed north, at one point drove into the southbound lane of U.S. 277. That is when, as per news reports, he collided with a Ford F-150 coming in the opposite direction. The driver of that vehicle and a child passenger therein were hospitalized with injuries.

And, as noted, eight of the passengers in Tovar's Dodge pick-up were killed. One of the passengers in the Dodge allegedly driven by Tovar was also injured.

It is at that point that the tragedy became bizarre, because according to DOJ, Border Patrol agents who were at the scene of the wreck directing traffic spotted a beige pick-up truck, stopped in the back-up. "Multiple occupants" jumped out of that truck, and agents were able to apprehend 12 of them.

"Two of the illegal aliens, both Mexican citizens, confirmed they were part of a failed human smuggling attempt in which the group illegally crossed into the U.S. and were divided between the maroon and beige pickup trucks for transport purposes." Apparently, about 20 migrants in total had entered illegally, near the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas.

Note that Eagle Pass is more than 50 miles south on U.S. 277 of Del Rio, so the vehicles were likely attempting to reach I-10 near the town of Sonora, Texas. Once on the interstate, they would have been able to travel with little scrutiny (save for the fact that they were in some seriously overloaded vehicles).

It is doubtful that any of those approximately 20 migrants were fleeing persecution, because they were plainly attempting to avoid CBP scrutiny and did not want to turn themselves in to start the "credible fear" process. So, when you hear about large numbers of "asylum seekers" being apprehended at the border, keep in mind they are just the tip of the iceberg: There are plenty of migrants who are not being counted, because they got away.

More to the point, however, eight migrants died on March 15 on a Texas highway after entering illegally, with little public notice. That is a tragedy, one that is driven by the administration's immigration policies.

Border Patrol agents are becoming overwhelmed with children and families, which makes it easier for smugglers to sneak adult migrants — who are seeking to enter illegally and blend into the existing illegal population — across the border and into the United States illegally.

In a March 12 post, I asked the question "Do Biden's Border Policies Now Have a 'Body Count'?" Unfortunately, the answer to that question is increasingly "Yes." Not that many in the media have noticed. That itself is a tragedy.