Southwest
Texas woman arrested for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants hidden inside box truck
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A Texas woman was arrested on Wednesday after Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers discovered 25 illegal immigrants crammed into the back of a box truck, hidden behind mattresses and inside a crawlspace.
DPS said 43-year-old Silvia Patricia Santamaria, of Houston, was arrested and charged with 25 counts of human smuggling and has since been booked into the Live Oak County Jail.
Just after 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a concerned citizen approached a DPS trooper at a truck stop along Interstate 37 in George West, Texas, regarding a minor crash that happened in the parking lot.
When the trooper contacted the driver of a white 2005 International box truck involved in the crash, later identified as Santamaria, she allegedly told the law enforcement official she was driving to Houston after picking up mattresses in Alton, Texas.
17 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS DISCOVERED CRAMMED IN RV, SEDAN IN SWELTERING ARIZONA HEAT
Texas DPS said Silvia Patricia Santamaria was driving a box truck that contained 25 illegal immigrants in the cargo area.
DPS said the trooper noticed inconsistencies in Santamaria’s travel plans and asked for consent to search the truck.
With assistance from the George West Police Department, the trooper discovered 25 illegal immigrants inside a small corner of the box truck who were attempting to hide behind 30 mattresses and inside a crawl space within the truck’s wall, DPS said.
DPS added that there was no ventilation inside the truck.
ALLEGED HUMAN SMUGGLERS ARRESTED IN TEXAS AFTER HIDING MIGRANTS INSIDE HOLLOWED HAY BALES
Texas DPS said Silvia Patricia Santamaria was driving a box truck that contained 25 illegal immigrants in the cargo area. (Texas DPS)
The group of immigrants comprised of 12 males, 12 females and an 11-year-old child.
All the migrants were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, India, Cuba, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, DPS said.
The illegal immigrants were removed from the truck and received medical evaluation before being referred to the U.S. Border Patrol.
DRIVER IN TEXAS MIGRANT SMUGGLING RUN THAT LED TO THE DEATHS OF 53 PEOPLE PLEADS GUILTY
A wall along the southern border. (Fox News)
In 2022, San Antonio officials discovered 51 dead immigrants inside an abandoned tractor trailer.
Officials said at the time they believed the truck was abandoned after it experienced mechanical problems.
A city worker discovered the trailer after hearing a cry from inside the trailer.
At least 46 migrants were found dead at the scene and more died in hospitals.
Read the full article from Here
Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
Los Angeles, Ca
NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
Los Angeles, Ca
'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana
The victim in a bizarre and deadly stabbing in Tarzana has been identified as 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for a recent role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” The stabbing happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a […]
-
Lifestyle3 minutes agoAfter D.C.’s Reflecting Pool gets repainted, visitors ask: What changed?
-
Technology13 minutes agoMore than a decade later, the team behind N++ is back with a multiplayer sequel
-
World18 minutes agoUS, Shield of the Americas condemn ‘ongoing efforts’ to overthrow Bolivia’s elected president amid unrest
-
Politics25 minutes agoTrump expands TrumpRx prescription drug discount program to more than 800 medications
-
Health28 minutes agoBreakthrough pancreatic cancer drug shows survival gains that surprise experts
-
Sports33 minutes agoBroncos star Jonathan Cooper arrested on domestic violence charges
-
Technology40 minutes agoWill a four-armed robot replace astronauts in space?
-
Business43 minutes agoSoFi Stadium workers vote to authorize strike with World Cup days away





