Fiery Crash in Uvalde County
And, Deputies Find & Save 5-Year-Old in Trunk
Good morning, friends,
The month of February is barely two weeks old, and it’s already looking like it’s going to be much busier than the preceding month.
Smuggling cases, pursuits, and even weapons found and seized are all on pace to exceed January here in Kinney County.
The members of the multi-county border security taskforce that we’ve been mentioning of late— headed up by Goliad and numerous other counties including Wilson, Refugio, Gonzalez, and others, are on the ground and working in Kinney County.
But the stats we’re referencing so far have all been collected prior to the taskforce’s arrival. So, all things being equal, one expects the numbers for the next two weeks to simply explode given the additional manpower.
If they don’t— it’s more than likely because cartel smugglers have gotten the hint and pushed their operations further West and East, out of the County.
Indeed, any unexpected changes in the numbers in Kinney County will probably be mirrored by changes in Sanderson, Del Rio, and Uvalde and La Pryor.
That’s just how the highway networks and geography work around here.
It’ll also demonstrate how quick and agile the cartel organizers can be, if things happen that way.
Wednesday was perhaps the first full day of work for the more than 20 additional lawmen in Kinney County that have arrived with the border security taskforce.
A pursuit into Uvalde County provided some of the most visceral photos we’ve seen so far.
An alleged smuggler refused to pull over, leading Deputies on a chase which only ended when he crashed through a fence and bailed out into a pasture.
A number of illegal aliens were in the vehicle and were rescued by deputies before it burst into flames.
It’s not common for car crashes to end in such a fiery manner.
When it does happen, it’s usually a case where hot motor oil or transmission fluid will leak onto the ground and set the grass on fire, and the flames will then reach the fuel tank, which creates the darkly spectacular photographs like these we’re sharing here.
Another incident, also Wednesday morning, saw a pair of smugglers busted after the Chief Deputy spotted them driving past the local High School without their seatbelts on.
According to Chief Deputy Armando Garcia, the pair made multiple turns and pulled over in some places as though trying to avoid contact with law enforcement.
Ironically, all the while, he was intending to just issue a friendly reminder about the importance of buckling up— especially given the current climate of frequent high-speed pursuits in the area.
After several stops and turns in and around town, he finally engaged his overhead lights and proceeded to give the driver and passenger his intended warning.
They said they were lost— trying to find the way back to Houston.
While interacting with the pair outside of their vehicle he noticed the vehicle shifting and moving on its wheels long after it had come to a stop— an indication of passengers or perhaps pets inside.
By the time all was said and done, 3 adult illegal aliens and 2 children were found crammed into the back seat all lying down on top of each other. The Chief Deputy says he and another Deputy had to help the group get untangled before they could get upright.
It was sometime after that, that they discovered another child— a five-year-old in the trunk of the car. He says the girl was unresponsive at first— raising fears that she might’ve been overcome by carbon monoxide fumes.
Luckily, he and another Deputy were able to wake her up, and no long-term complications are expected.
One additional coda to the story: The Chief Deputy says he actually recognizes the driver and passenger now, after reviewing them and their records. They’ve apparently been caught by DPS or Border Patrol in this area at least once before.
Federal prosecutors and investigators have taken over the case— in part because of the endangerment of a child aspect, and report that the driver and her passenger have been cooperative during questioning.
The Sheriff revealed some other eye-opening stats while we were hanging about.
So far this year, he’s counted more than 6600 illegal aliens on the State’s Operation Drawbridge cameras— all trespassing on area ranches on foot and passing through the county.
To his knowledge, none have been arrested or challenged, and their whereabouts are presently unknown.
He says he’s averaging a headcount of about 150 a day on those cameras.
The county population is only about 3300 between Brackettville, Fort Clark, Spofford, and the scattered folks on the ranches.
As we write this, another text alert has gone out overnight— a pursuit on Highway 90, between Brackettville and Del Rio. Near Pinto Creek. Stop sticks deployed. Chase successfully ended.
It’s every night. Three or four times a day sometimes.
Wanna sign up for alerts? Here you go: https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1331
The zip code to use is 78832.
Used to be, you could also register via text message. But many are reporting failure when trying to register that way.
Expect another newsletter later this week— rounding up some of the notable press coverage we’ve been able to find as journalists come and go from Kinney County to highlight the efforts of this historic border security taskforce.
Here’s an early one— something actually preceding the arrival of the taskforce.
We personally find the piece notable in the way that it took a fresh pair of eyeballs from outside the area to connect the dots between the semi-famous roadside sign in Hondo, reminding motorists “This is God’s Country, please don’t drive through it like hell,” and the present reality currently besetting the region.
Kinney County may not be mistaken for God’s Country in the way more water-blessed areas like Hondo can be— but it’s certainly being treated like hell, as the writer Colin Pruett observes.
Give it a read, if only to see what else jumps out at someone who’s new to the area. Speaking as a writer, it’s kind of a keen thing to see, what a stranger’s eyes will detect.
For now, we find ourselves once again turning to a phrase Abraham Lincoln was fond of— frequently telling people a tale of a far eastern ruler who charged his wisemen with coming up with the perfect words. Words suitable for any occasion, and that would be a comfort in any situation good or bad.
They presented him the words: “And this, too, shall pass away.” Lincoln most famously delivered the tale to a gathering of farmers and entrepreneurs in Wisconsin, all struggling to make it in a difficult economy.
“How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction,” Lincoln is quoted as saying.
It wasn’t just some story for Lincoln to use on the campaign trail either. He used it with some frequency in letters, most notably in one to his friend and campaign manager after a particularly difficult loss.
So— no matter what happens with the border and Operation Lone Star— good or bad, this too shall pass. And the challenges and triumphs of tomorrow will all make their own argument for eclipsing the gravity of the present.
Heck. We got UFO’s getting into dogfights with F-22 Raptors out there, Cuh!
And let’s not even mention the vinyl chloride train wreckage and spill apparently poisoning East Palestine, OH.
Again— these things too shall pass.
Until then— have a great morning, and we’ll see you again soon.
As always, the newsletter is a private effort, kept as separate as possible from our day job at Kinney County and should not be mistaken for any kind of official communication.
It is published without the oversight of County officials and predates our employment.
Any errors or other sins are entirely our own.
Thank you for great coverage though I hope that does not pass.