La Joya police: Third person dies in human smuggling crash, driver facing additional charges
A Mexican man is facing additional charges, including felony murder, after a third person died in connection with a failed human smuggling attempt last month, La Joya police Sgt. Manuel Casas said Thursday during a press conference.
Casas said a Honduran woman died Wednesday after spending nearly two weeks in the hospital following the June 29 crash.
La Joya police say Alexis Pino Hernandez, 23, of Mexico was driving a green Ford Expedition, evading law enforcement on Abram Road when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over.
All four occupants were ejected from the vehicle.
Gabriel Salas Sifuentes, 29, of Mexico died at the scene. A few hours later, 31-year-old Jose Ismael Rodriguez Campos of Mexico died at a local hospital. The third passenger, 20-year-old Jennifer Vasquez of Honduras, went into surgery following the crash and was in the intensive care unit before passing away Wednesday. The Honduran consulate is working to return her body back to Honduras.
Hernandez is the sole survivor of the crash.
In addition to the three felony murder charges, Hernandez is now facing three counts of evading arrest resulting in death and three counts of smuggling of persons causing death.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is assisting La Joya police in the crash reconstruction part of the investigation, Casas said.
Hernandez was booked into Hidalgo County jail on Monday and remains jailed on a $2.7 million bond, records show.
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