SUV carrying illegals crashes into GV home

A vehicle being pursued by the U.S. Border Patrol crashed through the bedroom of a Green Valley house early Tuesday morning, injuring one illegal immigrant and causing extensive damage to the structure, officials said.

The white Ford Explorer, carrying approximately eight illegal immigrants, was speeding through San Ignacio Vistas around 5:40 a.m. when it lost control and crashed into a house in the 1500 block of Vista Ridge Drive, Pima County Sheriff’s reports said.

The Explorer struck the southwest corner of house, traveled through a block wall, then struck the building a second time, breaking a natural gas line and leading to the temporary evacuation of surrounding homes.

Both residents were uninjured; one illegal immigrant, a 33-year-old male, was taken to University Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, reports said.

Two other passengers determined to be illegal immigrants were taken into the custody of the Border Patrol. As many as five others, including the driver, escaped, reports said.

Green Valley Fire also arrived on the scene; safety inspections were conducted by Southwest Gas and Tucson Electric Power.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726