Police are trying to determine who was driving the 2003 Ford Explorer when it crashed in Edna, which is located about 90 miles southwest of Houston.
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Police in Edna, Texas, attempted to stop a Ford Explorer at around 1:29 a.m. local time Thursday morning for a traffic violation, according to a statement from the Edna Police Department. He had no information on their legal status, but said the vehicle seemed to have been adapted to fit in many passengers, hinting at the possibility of a human-trafficking operation.
Officers have identified some of the victims as being from Honduras and Guatemala, according to the police statement.
The chase, lasting almost 10 minutes, came to an abrupt end on US 59 when the driver lost control of the SUV, ran off the road, and flipped multiple times, reported the Houston Chronicle.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died later at an area hospital. An additional seven passengers were still hospitalized. Two people who allegedly fled the crash on foot are now in police custody.
The police said that the vehicle had been altered to fit more individuals; the center seat was uprooted, and a back seat had been collapsed down.
Authorities are trying to identify the driver and crash victims.
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