Texas Man Charged in Crash That Killed 8 Mexican Migrants

Sebastian Tovar, a man from Texas, has been charged with "transporting illegal aliens resulting in death" after a deadly head-on crash near the border city of Del Rio left eight migrants dead.

According to a federal complaint filed on Wednesday, Sebastian Tovar, 24, was driving a pickup loaded with migrants when the vehicle crashed into another truck during a police chase.

NBC News reported that the incident happened weeks after 13 migrants were also killed in a crash in Southern California after cutting a hole in the U.S.-Mexico border fence apparently by smugglers.

READ MORE: California Crash Leaves at Least 13 Dead Near U.S.-Mexico Border

Details of the Crash Incident Involving Sebastian Tovar

Based on the complaint, Sebastian Tovar was traveling on Highway 277 in a maroon pickup truck near Del Rio on Monday when a trooper of the Texas Department of Public Safety tried to stop him for speeding.

ABC News Go reported that the 50-mile pursuit had reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Sebastian Tovar then crashed head-on with another pickup.

Eight migrants inside Tovar's pickup died, while the driver and passenger of the vehicle into which Tovar's pickup collided remained hospitalized in stable condition.

According to Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, the eight migrants who died were Mexican nationals between the ages of 18 and 20. Martinez added that seven of the killed victims were men, New York Post reported.

U.S Border Patrol officials have also faced a beige pickup truck while directing traffic near the crash site. Several occupants of the said pickup truck jumped out after the officials gave them instruction.

The said migrants fled into the bush, but 12 undocumented migrants who fled were apprehended, officials said. Sebastian Tovar, who is in federal custody, could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Previous Migrant Smuggling

Reports said the horrific crash on March 2 in Southern California that left eight migrants dead is one of the deadliest highway collisions involving migrants entering the country without permission.

A surveillance video, which has not been publicly released because it is part of an ongoing investigation, showed the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Suburban drive through the opening.

After entering the U.S., the Suburban carrying 19 people caught fire for unknown reasons, but all passengers escaped the vehicle, and they were taken into custody by Border Patrol agents.

On the other hand, the Expedition with 25 people struck a tractor-trailer a short time later, according to an Associated Press report. Ten of the 13 people who were killed were identified to be Mexican citizens.

Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol's El Centro sector chief, said that human smugglers had proven once again that they have little regard for human life.

"Those who may be contemplating crossing the border illegally should pause to think of the dangers that all too often end in tragedy," Bovino said in a report.

It was found that the Expedition is built to hold eight people safely. However, smugglers have packed people into vehicles in highly unsafe conditions to maximize profit.

Meanwhile, the current migrant influx has shaken the Biden administration. The number of illegal migrants crossing the border is reaching a level that has not been recorded in 20 years, warned Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas as National Review reported.

More than 4,000 unaccompanied minors are currently detained in Border Patrol facilities, while 9,000 in the care of the Department of Health and Human Services.

READ NEXT: 10 of 13 Killed in California Crash Were Mexicans Who Entered U.S. Through Hole in Border Fence

WATCH: Austin Man Charged in Connection With Crash That Killed 8 Immigrants Near Del Rio - From KXAN