Romanian charged with human smuggling after crash injures 7 near B.C.-Washington border
A 48-year-old man is facing 13 federal charges in the United States after allegedly smuggling six Romanian citizens over the British Columbia border into Washington state.
American officials say illegal crossings at the B.C.-Washington border are growing more common and more dangerous.
Ionel Niculae, who is also known as Adrian Dumitrescu, was charged this week with six counts of aiding and abetting the improper entry of an undocumented individual. He is also facing three charges of bringing an undocumented person into the U.S. at a place other than a designated port of entry; three counts of bringing an undocumented person into the U.S. causing serious bodily injury; and one count of improper entry by an undocumented person.
The Romanian man was taken into custody at an accident scene near Sumas, Wash., on Sept. 17.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents say Niculae drove a Jeep carrying six passengers across a berry field into the U.S. near the Sumas border crossing, south of Abbotsford, B.C.
A camera on the Washington side of the border captured the vehicle's illegal crossing, according to the U.S. district attorney's office for western Washington.
The same Jeep was spotted by Canadian officials crossing illegally into B.C. three days earlier, according to the district attorney.
As border agents pursued the Jeep into the U.S., the Sumas Police Department alerted the agents to a serious rollover crash in which the Jeep allegedly ran a stop sign and struck an SUV approximately four kilometres south of the Canadian border.
All six passengers in the Jeep were taken to hospital, along with the driver of the SUV.
Tessa M. Gorman, acting U.S. attorney for western Washington, says the driver who was struck by the Jeep is still recovering from injuries sustained in the crash.
"We are responding to an increase in dangerous smuggling events on our northern border," Gorman said in a statement. "This case illustrates how these illegal smuggling efforts endanger not only those being smuggled into the U.S., but also others travelling near the border."
Thee passengers in the Jeep suffered broken bones, including two with broken pelvises and one with a broken leg. Niculae was not injured, according to the district attorney.
"This incident underscores the risks to innocent members of our community, and the challenges we face in safeguarding our borders and keeping our communities safe," Chief Rosario Vasquez of the Blaine Sector Border Patrol said in a statement.
"Events like this highlight the disregard smugglers have for human life."
On Nov. 9, border patrol agents from Blaine, Wash., arrested two Romanian citizens suspected of smuggling a dozen other Romanians into the U.S., including seven children under the age of 14 who were found in the rear of an SUV.
U.S. border agents from Blaine, Wash., arrested two Romanian citizens suspected of smuggling 12 Romanians into the U.S., including seven children under the age of 14 who were found in the rear of an SUV, on Nov. 9, 2023. (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol)
U.S. Homeland Security investigator Robert Hammer, who oversees the department's investigations in the Pacific Northwest, says investigations into human-smuggling rings have become a priority in the region.
"We have seen an uptick in the number of human smuggling events here in Washington state along our northern border with Canada," he said.
If convicted, Niculae faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the most serious charges of human-smuggling causing bodily injury, and up to 10 years in prison on the charges of bringing an undocumented person into the U.S. outside of a port of entry.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump returns to his campaign facing a warning of jail time if he violates a trial gag order
Donald Trump on Wednesday will use a one-day break from his hush money trial to rally voters in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan, a day after he was held in contempt of court and threatened with jail time for violating a gag order.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
It's opening day for the $34B Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion
Wednesday marks the official start date of the long-awaited $34-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.