Two Texans Charged in Fatal Human Smuggling Crash in Texas near Border

Federal prosecutors in Del Rio, Texas, filed charges against two Texans in connection to a human smuggling attempt that ended with a fatal car crash. The crash occurred during a police pursuit that resulted in a rollover which killed one migrant and injured three more.

On March 4, 2021, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to stop a 2010 Toyota Corolla for speeding. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 18-year-old Bianca Michelle Trujillo-Lopez, failed to yield and led police on a pursuit, according to federal court documents obtained by Breitbart Texas. The pursuit reportedly reached speeds of nearly 120 mph, the complaint states.

Trujillo-Lopez lost control of the vehicle on a curve causing the vehicle to crash and flip multiple times. The crash caused one of the rear seat passengers, later identified as a Mexican national illegally present in the U.S., to be ejected from the Corolla. Three other passengers sustained serious injuries — two listed as critical.

Police arrested Trujillo-Lopez and her front-seat passenger, Isidro Rodriguez, Jr., 28, both U.S. citizens on charges related to human smuggling.

A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned a four-count indictment against the two Texas residents. The pair are charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of transporting an illegal alien resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury; and one count of transporting an illegal alien resulting in serious bodily injury, prosecutors stated.

The two defendants face up to life in prison if convicted in connection to the death of the migrant in the failed human smuggling attempt. They also face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the charges related to the injured migrants.

Trujillo-Lopez is being held without bond awaiting a trial date. A bond hearing for Rodriguez is set for April 7, according to federal officials.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.