SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Three people died and 14 were hurt on Monday when a sport utility vehicle crammed with 21 people, most of them suspected illegal immigrants, crashed in Texas after a high-speed chase, police said.

The chase at speeds of 100 miles mph (161 kph) crossed two counties around San Antonio, 135 miles north of the Mexican border, before the vehicle blew a tire and flipped, police said.

Of the 21 occupants, only four, including the driver, were unhurt.

The driver was arrested at the scene and will be charged with capital murder, which carries a possible death penalty under Texas law, San Antonio Police Sgt. Gabe Trevino said.

U.S. immigration officials were helping police identify the driver and his passengers, most of whom lacked documents, officers said. Most were believed to be from Mexico.



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Who was chasing them? ICE? Local PD?Building fences and penalizing folks who want to work is only going to get more people killed.

I know Mexicans are small, but small enough to fit 21 of them into an SUV?!

They were getting used to the living conditions they'd have when they got to their destination and all live in one room.

Odd that the article didn't state whether the driver was a Coyote. The police usually find out from the immigrants right away who the Coyote is and trumpet that loudly so it seems they're nailing the Coyote (not everyone here like INS but *everyone* hates Coyotes).

Better story in the local papers, with a map of the chase: San Antonio Express-News. The vehicle was a Ford Excursion modified to carry extra people. The chase was local police: no INS or federal involvement until after it was all over.

The chase went straight across metropolitan San Antonio after starting a considerable distance away - some questions need to be asked why it wasn't stopped earlier.