Texas

Officials: Over 50 People Found in Tractor-Trailer in Texas

San Antonio Fire Department chief Charles Hood says all the passengers appeared to be in good health

Dozens of people, including some children, were discovered in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio.

WOAI reported that authorities from several agencies were called to a North Side neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and found 54 people suspected of entering the country illegally in and around a tractor-trailer. 

Officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon there were 54 people found in the trailer, not 55 as was initially reported, according to NBC News.

Shane Folden, special agent in charge with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), said the driver of the vehicle, identified as 36-year-old Gerardo Carreon of Laredo, Texas, was arrested and appeared in federal court Wednesday facing human smuggling charges.

Attorney information for Carreon was not immediately available. Officials confirmed he is a U.S. citizen.

Homeland Security Investigations spokeswoman Nina Pruneda confirmed that the agency is investigating.

San Antonio Fire Department chief Charles Hood says all the passengers appeared to be in good health.

"This truck was air-conditioned, thank God," Hood said. "This truck had water, so they were hydrated."

Firefighters ordered pizza for the hungry passengers, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Hood says five individuals were transported to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Except for the five injured, all of the trailer's occupants were searched and then taken to a detention center, officials said. Folden said they came from various countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Brazil.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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