Victims were illegal immigrants
Traffic: Some names released in Elk City crash that killed seven
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By Ron Jackson
Published: January 17, 2007
ELK CITY — Riders in a minivan that crashed during the recent ice storm — a wreck that killed seven people — were illegal immigrants from
Mexico being taken to
North Carolina, an immigration official confirmed Tuesday.
"This was a smuggling operation,” said
Carl Rusnok, a spokesman for the
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's regional office in
Dallas. "Right now, we're in the process of determining whether or not this was part of a bigger smuggling ring.”
Six passengers and the driver were killed about 3:50 a.m. Sunday after the van slid across the median and spun into an oncoming tractor-trailer going west on Interstate 40 near Elk City. All seven victims were thrown from the vehicle.
Driver Miguel Marquez-Vargas, 32, and
Francisco Marquez-Vargas, 19, of Acaxochitlan, Mexico, were among those found dead at the scene. The
Oklahoma Highway Patrol is withholding the names of the five other victims until next of kin can be notified — a process that "could take weeks,” patrol
Lt. Pete Norwood said.
Eleven of the van's 12 occupants have been identified, Rusnok said.
Truck driver
Donald Ray Reeves, 54, of
Midwest City was unharmed.
Agents later learned the occupants of the van were headed for
Durham, N.C., presumably to find work.
Agents were notified of the possible smuggling operation by
Oklahoma troopers roughly three hours after the wreck, Rusnok said.
At least one survivor —
Pedro Valdez, 56, of Mexico — was taken into custody by federal agents Sunday after being released from the
Great Plains Medical Center in Elk City. He was held at the
Beckham County jail in Sayre, where Rusnok said he awaits deportation.
"If it is determined that he has no criminal history in the
United States, then I would imagine he'll be sent back to Mexico right away,” Rusnok said.
Two other survivors — Mexican nationals
Sergio Yanez-Martinez and
Mitxi Vasquez — were released from the hospital Monday, Great Plains spokesman
Stephen Ryhmer said. Their whereabouts are unknown.
Gaudencio P. Perez, 17, of Mexico and
Eurencio V. Gonzales, 20, of Durham, N.C., remained in the hospital with injuries.
Both have been identified as Mexican nationals.