Three Points, AZ : 1 dead, 5 hurt in a two-vehicle crash in Three Points on Thursday night, January 8, 2015

A woman died while en route by helicopter to University of Arizona Medical Center after a two-vehicle crash in Three Points Thursday night.

The woman was a passenger in a car that was hit head-on by another vehicle that was being followed by Border Patrol agents traveling in an unmarked SUV, said Deputy Tracy Suitt, a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesman.

Deputies were dispatched to the crash shortly after 5 p.m. near West Ava Road and South Sierrita Mountain Road. The rural area is south of West Ajo Highway and west of Avra Road.

The other five injured were taken by ambulance to UAMC, with none suffering life-threatening injuries, said Capt. Bob Ethridge of Three Points Fire District. Three Points paramedics were aided by Drexel Heights and Picture Rocks fire districts.

Suitt said U.S. Border Patrol agents saw a vehicle northbound on South Sierrita Mountain Road while they were southbound, and said the vehicle appeared suspicious.

The driver of the Border Patrol unmarked SUV applied the brakes to make a U-turn and the other vehicle accelerated quickly. When the U-turn was completed, the suspect's vehicle was no longer in sight, but agents noticed smoke ahead, said Suitt.

When Border Patrol reached the site, they saw that the suspect's vehicle had crashed head-on into a car. Agents saw two men flee from the suspicious vehicle, Suitt said.

The men were captured by Border Patrol agents, said Suitt. He said the two other men in the vehicle were undocumented immigrants.

Suitt said the driver of the car, a woman, had to be extricated from the vehicle.

Sheriff's traffic detectives remained at the crash site investigating late Thursday night.

Source :
1 dead, 5 hurt in Three Points crash