Allegedly, a a Texas truck driver knew his trailer’s AC wasn’t working when 63 migrants were in the trailer.
It’s time for a Texas trucker to own up to his crimes. The truck driver was driving a tractor-trailer with 63 migrants suffering inside the trailer. It didn’t have any air conditioning, and 53 people died due to the sweltering heat.
Texas truck driver pleads guilty to killing 53 migrants
48-year-old Homero Zamoranor Jr. faces life in prison. He pleaded guilty to a mass casualty event that killed 53 people in San Antonio.
He was driving a tractor-trailer that was used to smuggle 63 migrants, including children across the border. According to KSAT, the group traveled on Interstate 35.
Then the semi-truck stopped in the 9600 block of Quintana Road. This is when the migrants were left in Texas heat, without ventilation, air-conditioning, or water. As a result, 74 adults and six children died from their injuries.
Allegedly, Zamorano and two other men charged in the case knew that the trailer’s air conditioning unit was malfunctioning.
They know it wouldn’t blow cold air to migrants trapped inside during the sweltering, three-hour trip from Laredo to San Antonio. Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees as migrants screamed for help and knocked on the walls of the trailer.
Each migrant paid up to $15,000 to be taken across the border. Migrants were forced to give up their cellphones before entering the trailer, leaving them without a way to call for help. Also, an unknown powder was used around the trailer to prevent patrol dogs from detecting their scent.
The incident occurred after police officers detained Zamorano. He was hiding in a bush nearby and his phone had concerning calls about the smuggling run.
Zamorano was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury, placing lives in jeopardy, one count of transportation of aliens resulting in death, and one count of transportation of aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
