Man accused of human smuggling after fatal crash; 2 people die in unrelated wrecks

Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times
·3 min read
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A 26-year-old Mexican citizen died after a car crash early Friday morning when a suspected human smuggler attempted to flee from law enforcement, officials said.

It was the second fatal wreck in a little more than six hours Thursday night into Friday morning. In an unrelated accident in the same West El Paso area, an El Paso man crossing Mesa Street was killed after he was struck by a vehicle.

Workers clear the scene of a fatal crash Friday morning in West El Paso. The wreck occurred in the area near Mesa Street and Pitt Street. A man from Mexico died in the crash. Mikel Steve Fernandez, 18, of El Paso, was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling and evading arrest in a motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury or death.
Workers clear the scene of a fatal crash Friday morning in West El Paso. The wreck occurred in the area near Mesa Street and Pitt Street. A man from Mexico died in the crash. Mikel Steve Fernandez, 18, of El Paso, was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling and evading arrest in a motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury or death.

Alleged human smuggler arrested after fatal crash

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to pull over a 2010 Infiniti G37 about 5:20 a.m. Friday for an equipment violation on Mesa Street, DPS officials said.

The driver of the vehicle refused to stop and began driving on the wrong side of the road on Mesa Street at a high rate of speed, officials said.

The trooper lost sight of the vehicle and stopped the pursuit.

Additional troopers searching for the vehicle found it had crashed into a gray Nissan Altima a short while later near the intersection of Mesa and Pitt Street.

A 26-year-old man, who was a passenger in the Infiniti, was taken to University Medical Center of El Paso for treatment. The man, who is from Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico, later died at the hospital, officials said.

The Infiniti driver, 18-year-old Mikel Steve Fernandez, of El Paso, and another passenger, 18-year-old Elva Vanessa Solis, of El Paso, fled the scene but were found hiding behind a nearby business, officials said.

Fernandez was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling and evading arrest in a motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury or death.

An unknown number of migrants were in the Infiniti and fled before troopers arrived at the scene, officials said.

An investigation revealed the man killed in the wreck had illegally crossed into the U.S. through New Mexico two days earlier, officials said.

No injuries were reported for the people inside the Nissan.

Troopers urge community members to report any suspicious activities, including possible stash houses, by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-8477 or Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477.

Pedestrian killed attempting to cross Mesa Street

A little more than six hours earlier, a man died Thursday night after he was struck by a vehicle in West El Paso, officials said.

The man, whose name and age were not yet released, was struck by a 2006 Jeep Laredo about 11:10 p.m. Thursday in the 7400 block of North Mesa Street near Remcon Circle, El Paso Police Department officials said.

The man crossed the eastbound lanes of Mesa Street, walking north to south on the roadway, officials said.

He was not crossing in an area designated for crossing the street, officials said.

More:Man, 22, dies in fatal Northeast El Paso wreck

The vehicle was traveling east on North Mesa Street and the driver did not initially see the man, officials said. The driver then attempted to avoid him but was unsuccessful and hit him with the vehicle.

The driver remained at the scene.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Pasoan accused of human smuggling after Mexican man dies from crash