Immigration Officials Investigate Thursday's Fatal Crash On U.S. 30
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Thursday morning's fatal accident on U.S. 30 has sparked a federal investigation into an illegal immigrant smuggling ring.
The accident, which occurred around 7:27 a.m. Thursday, involved a van that pulled into the path of a westbound semi-tractor trailer at the intersection of U.S. 30 and CR 800W.
The van, a 1996 GMC conversion model driven by Antonio Rivera Torres of Madison, Wis., spun around and then flipped on its top after the westbound semi struck the rear end of the vehicle. The van, which was designed to hold a maximum of eight passengers, was carrying 15 people.
Two female passengers who were crouching in the back of the van were ejected when the back doors of the vehicle flew open from the impact of the crash.
Irene Soto was pronounced dead shortly after she was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital. Petra Ocotl was flown by Samaritan Air Ambulance to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, where she was listed in critical condition this morning.
Another passenger, Jose Nicolas Tecalero, who was seated in the back row of the van, also was taken to Parkview Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition Thursday but was not listed in the hospital directory this morning.
Five other passengers - Roberto Montez, Juan Antonio, Flavia Chiquito, Noe Soto and Ocsar Mani - were treated for minor injuries and released from Kosciusko Community Hospital.
Several other passengers in the van refused medical treatment.
The passengers, who ranged in age from 14 to 37, spoke no English. Several interpreters, including David Morales of the Warsaw Police Department, helped gather statements from the passengers in the van.
The van was travelling from Madison, Wis., to the Hide-Away Hills Mobile Home Park at 2441 W. CR 250S, Warsaw, where the passengers planned to live while they looked for work in the area. It is believed that the group in the van paid a driver to take them from Mexico to Madison before they headed to Warsaw.
Members of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement office in Indianapolis (a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) were called to assist in the investigation.
Once the officials arrived, they began a 12-hour investigation that led to four of the passengers, whose names were not released, being taken to Indianapolis to begin proceedings for deportation. Eight other passengers are awaiting background checks. Once the checks are completed, they will be released in the community even though they have no friends or relatives in the area and cannont speak English.
The case could be turned over to the U.S. Attorney's Office depending on what further investigation reveals.
"There is a federal law regarding smuggling," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine. "Because this case involved a death, it is a very serious federal crime."
The case remains under investigation at this time. [[In-content Ad]]
Thursday morning's fatal accident on U.S. 30 has sparked a federal investigation into an illegal immigrant smuggling ring.
The accident, which occurred around 7:27 a.m. Thursday, involved a van that pulled into the path of a westbound semi-tractor trailer at the intersection of U.S. 30 and CR 800W.
The van, a 1996 GMC conversion model driven by Antonio Rivera Torres of Madison, Wis., spun around and then flipped on its top after the westbound semi struck the rear end of the vehicle. The van, which was designed to hold a maximum of eight passengers, was carrying 15 people.
Two female passengers who were crouching in the back of the van were ejected when the back doors of the vehicle flew open from the impact of the crash.
Irene Soto was pronounced dead shortly after she was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital. Petra Ocotl was flown by Samaritan Air Ambulance to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, where she was listed in critical condition this morning.
Another passenger, Jose Nicolas Tecalero, who was seated in the back row of the van, also was taken to Parkview Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition Thursday but was not listed in the hospital directory this morning.
Five other passengers - Roberto Montez, Juan Antonio, Flavia Chiquito, Noe Soto and Ocsar Mani - were treated for minor injuries and released from Kosciusko Community Hospital.
Several other passengers in the van refused medical treatment.
The passengers, who ranged in age from 14 to 37, spoke no English. Several interpreters, including David Morales of the Warsaw Police Department, helped gather statements from the passengers in the van.
The van was travelling from Madison, Wis., to the Hide-Away Hills Mobile Home Park at 2441 W. CR 250S, Warsaw, where the passengers planned to live while they looked for work in the area. It is believed that the group in the van paid a driver to take them from Mexico to Madison before they headed to Warsaw.
Members of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement office in Indianapolis (a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) were called to assist in the investigation.
Once the officials arrived, they began a 12-hour investigation that led to four of the passengers, whose names were not released, being taken to Indianapolis to begin proceedings for deportation. Eight other passengers are awaiting background checks. Once the checks are completed, they will be released in the community even though they have no friends or relatives in the area and cannont speak English.
The case could be turned over to the U.S. Attorney's Office depending on what further investigation reveals.
"There is a federal law regarding smuggling," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine. "Because this case involved a death, it is a very serious federal crime."
The case remains under investigation at this time. [[In-content Ad]]