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More Illegal Immigrants Sought in Goliad County
GOLIAD - As of Friday afternoon in Goliad County, 35 suspected illegal immigrants were located and taken to safety, while the number of those being sought continues to grow. After a search began Thursday morning when an estimated 85 illegals jumped from a three-vehicle caravan and fled into the brush, a fourth vehicle was stopped around 5 p.m. Thursday, and still another late that night, leaving officials to believe that between 71 and 76 people are still hiding in the county, Sheriff Robert DeLaGarza said Friday. So far, officials have been unable to capture any of the suspected smugglers, called coyotes, who charge as much as $1,500 or more per person to illegally bring a man, woman or child into Texas. Although children are among those hiding, all who have been picked up are men, with the exception of one young woman. The driver of a red Firebird bailed out and vanished into the brush when he was stopped around 5 p.m. Thursday for failure to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of state Highway 239 and U.S. Highway 183. Deputies found four people inside the car and two in the trunk. Later that night, the driver and 15 to 20 people jumped from a Ford extended cab pickup in the same area. The sheriff said the driver jumped from the truck "leaving it in drive and running down the road." As the truck rolled, the passengers also bailed out. Deputy Thomas Kasten, who was patrolling alone, chased the truck until he could jump in and get it stopped. "That coyote has no remorse. He couldn't have cared less about the safety of anyone," DeLaGarza said. Around 2 p.m. Friday, the sheriff said he saw four boys, who appeared to be 12 or 13 years old, on the biking trail near the San Antonio River. "When they saw us, they took off, so we know they are still here. I hope they found water." Four others were spotted earlier in a location five or six miles east of town. The sheriff said his hope is to catch those who are guilty of smuggling. "Once we get past that, my only concern is their safety. I don't want them out there without water and food. And I certainly don't want to lose a life over something like this." He added, "Eventually, they will be so hot, so hungry that they just give up. They will knock on a door and wait or they will come out to the road. They are ready to come with us." Federal, state and local law enforcement officers spent all day Thursday searching for an estimated 85 people who fled into ranch land near the La Bahia community south of Goliad after bailing out of two passenger vans and a super-cab type truck. While only Goliad lawmen continued to search Friday, Thursday's search included a helicopter from the Department of Public Safety and a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue team and plane, along with Border Patrol units and officers from prisons in Cuero and Beeville. DeLaGarza said that for every load of illegals that is stopped, many more get through. "They are coming at us from all directions. It is just too much," he said. "These people are dying trying to get into this country. My heart goes out them." |