Arizona man charged in fatal human smuggling accident

PHOENIX – An Arizona man has been charged in a human smuggling accident that left one migrant dead and others injured, authorities announced Wednesday.

Samuel Lopez-Ozuna, 18, of Tucson, is accused of fleeing a traffic stop with seven migrants in his Chevrolet Tahoe before crashing and rolling over near the border town of Arivaca, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona.

One person died and three others were seriously injured in the crash on August 9.

Border patrol agents originally tried to stop Lopez-Ozuna because his vehicle had fake license plates and they suspected he was involved in human smuggling.

Lopez-Ozuna was charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit and endangering the life of a person resulting in death, transportation of illegal aliens for profit and transportation of illegal aliens for profit and endangering the life of a person resulting in death. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

The Department of Homeland Security in Tucson, the Border Patrol and the Pima County Sheriff's Department were conducting investigations into this case.

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