Deputies stumble onto house full of suspected illegal immigrants (My San Antonio News)

Deputies stumble onto house full of suspected illegal immigrants
By Guillermo X. Garcia - Express-News
Web Posted: 09/24/2010 8:50 CDT

Nearly a dozen suspected illegal immigrants were detained Friday afternoon after Bexar County deputies stumbled onto them while responding to a stolen car call.

The owner of a stolen vehicle and work trailer had reported that a GPS unit indicated the vehicle and trailer were at a home in the 11000 block of Jarratt Road, in rural, far southwestern Bexar County near the Medina County line.

Deputies questioned a woman and entered the home to discover “12 males and one female” believed to be illegal immigrants, said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Linda Tomasini.

As deputies were securing the scene, three of the men ran. Deputies caught one in a wooded area and handcuffed him to a fence while they pursued the other two, Tomasini said.

Unable to find them even with the help of a San Antonio police helicopter, deputies then discovered the handcuffed man had slipped out of the cuffs and escaped, Tomasini said.

By the time U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived, one of the three escapees had returned voluntarily, she said. ICE then took custody of the 11 remaining suspects.

It was not immediately clear if those detained included the residents of the home or traffickers.

A search was on for the two escapees.