The Border Patrol in South Texas apprehended its share of smuggling cases. Back when I started they were almost all alien smuggling cases sprinkled with a few drug cases. 

The smuggling organizations were quite frugal. They would often buy an older, large vehicle in poor condition for a few hundred dollars and then use it to transport as many aliens as it would hold. We often apprehended loads with six or seven people in the back seat, crammed in like sardines, of a two door Monte Carlo, two or more in the trunk and usually three people in the front seat. The driver of the vehicle was often given a free ride for his efforts or was someone who had done this before. 

The cars, heavily laden, somehow with the help of God, kept on the road and, if they weren’t stopped, made it to their destination. 

Once we attempted to stop one of these vehicles, it was usually driven through a fence where everyone would then climb out and run. Then the chase was on. We tried to get the drivers of the vehicles but that wasn’t always possible as we were occupied just keeping the passengers in control.

Once all the excitement was over, the trainees would have to drive the vehicle back to the station for processing if at all possible. I drove too many of these smuggling vehicles and they were death traps, barely staying on the road and barely drivable. We often commented on how the loads of aliens must be watched over to be so lucky to make it to their destination in such pieces of crap.

Once the vehicle was processed it was eventually driven to the Del Rio Sector Border Patrol Station to eventually be auctioned off. Again, the trainees were assigned this task.

We all knew it was dangerous to drive them but, as trainees, it was just part of our duties. 

Two days after Sabinal Police Chief Wulf drowned rescuing the man, Agent Saucedo and his partner, Craig Weinbrenner, were going down for their six or ten-month exam, which all of us were required to take after the academy. This was a very formal, pass or fail(and you’re fired) process consisting of a comprehensive written test and an oral exam in Spanish. Agent(T) Weinbrenner and Saucedo were assigned to take two seized vehicles to sector as they had to go that way anyhow because of the exam. Both agents were assigned to the Carrizo Springs station and were a couple of classes senior to me. Carrizo Springs is about an hour drive southeast from my station but in the same sector.

Agent(T) Saucedo was driving a seized vehicle which probably was like the rest of them and great to transport a load of aliens but absolutely worthless on the highway for a normal person.

Agent Saucedo hit a patch of ice on a bridge, slid sideways and was broadsided by an oncoming vehicle. He was killed on impact. He was the first of many Border Patrol Agents that I would know that would be killed in the line of duty.