FATAL CHASE

Texas Man Hit With Federal Charges Over Deadly Crash Near U.S.-Mexico Border

Prosecutors say 24-year-old Sebastian Tovar “made spontaneous utterances” implicating himself in a “failed smuggling venture” after the crash.

A 24-year-old Texas man faces up to life behind bars after leading police on a high-speed chase near the U.S.-Mexico border that resulted in a brutal head-on collision and eight dead passengers. Federal prosecutors say Sebastian Tovar “fled at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour for approximately 50 miles” on Monday after troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety attempted to pull him over about 30 miles from the border. The chase ended after Tovar, in a Ram truck, allegedly veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into another vehicle. Eight of the nine passengers in Tovar’s truck were killed, and they were later identified as undocumented immigrants. Tovar allegedly fled the scene following the crash but later “made spontaneous utterances” implicating himself in a “failed smuggling venture,” according to a criminal complaint. Tovar, who is in custody with a court appearance set for next month, now faces a charge of transporting illegal aliens resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.