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Show Human traffickers using risky Utah back roads BLANDING, Utah (AP) - Immigrant smugglers are increasingly using Utah's winding back roads rather than more heavily patrolled routes, making already dangerous journeys more hazardous and farther from emergency help. "If they were to crash during trie winter at nighttime, if the crash didn't kill them the weather would," said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Rick Eldredge. "There's just not enough traffic on that road to find them." The day after a Chevy Suburban crammed with 14 people from Guatemala and Mexico rolled on U.S. Highway 191 in southeastern Utah killing eight of those onboard, Eldredge was on patrol and stopped several carloads of immigrants. This time, though, Eldredge was not on Highway 191. He was on Positions are part time and of kr flexible schedules for students. f his i« your chance to get hands on engingeerfna experience. close and convenient to the campus, For a list of open positions and Instructions on how to apply, visit ww.tdl.u9U.edu/ewployiMenf i<ee Dynamics ^^^ w O=KLSY patagonia State Road 261, a winding two-lane back road with a long, unpaved stretch that overlooks Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley. The UHP doesn't keep statistics on the number of such travelers but anecdotal evidence indicates immigrant smugglers began taking the alternate routes about three or four years ago. In that time, there have been no reported immigrant traffic deaths on back roads, but there have been some accidents, mostly from drowsy drivers. Some of the vehicles have struck cattle. Eldredge first noticed the phenomenon on Memorial Day weekend 2OO4-, when troopers set a sobriety checkpoint at the junction of state roads 95 and 276. In addition to catching drunken drivers going to or from Lake Powell, the troopers stopped two van loads of immigrants. On Tuesday night, about 44- hours after the crash that killed eight people, Eldredge stopped three passenger vehicles with immigrants. One was a Suburban with 13 people on board. Eldredge stopped the vehicle for speeding. The driver identified himself as 25- year-old Jose Martinez and said he was coming from Phoenix and had lived in the United States for 3 1/2 years. Martinez had not heard about the crash that killed the Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants the day before. When told the crash victims were riding in a Suburban like his, Martinez's eyes widened. Eldredge wrote Martinez a ticket for not having insurance and a warning for speeding. He told everyone who could to put on a seat belt and Martinez drove the Suburban away. The driver in fatal April 23 crash, Rigoberto SalasLopez, 30, was charged with one count of transporting illegal immigrants resulting in death. SalasLopez told federal agents he was given the vehicle by a man in Phoenix who offered him $1,000 to drive the people to St. Louis from Phoenix. Local law enforcement here does not arrest or detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally. Federal immigration agents, according to local police, generally do not come to pick up the immigrants unless they are stranded. • VIGIL From page 1 on this $779 bike at conscience to decide what that might be," he added. After the memorial was concluded, a student performed a song she had composed. USU President Stan Albrecht was not able to attend the memorial, and ASUSU President Noah Riley conducted and gave a few remarks. Riley talked about not becoming daunted by fear and related the Virginia Tech massacre to the USU van crash of Camelbak Chirm Beg, $4000 2005. 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