Man given life sentence for role in deadly crash

Adan Pineda-Doval, 22, of Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for his role in an accident near Yuma that resulted in the deaths of 10 illegal immigrants.

Pineda-Doval was transporting 20 illegal aliens, including two pregnant women, to Los Angeles. He caused a rollover collision in the summer of 2006 on Martinez Lake Road while trying to elude U.S. Border Patrol agents. Ten occupants of the vehicle died, including one of the pregnant women and her unborn child.

Pineda-Doval was found guilty by a federal jury on Oct. 25, 2007 of 10 counts of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death, one count of transportation of illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy and one count of re-entry after deportation.

U.S. District Judge Stephen M. McNamee imposed sentences of life imprisonment on each of the 10 counts of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death. Those terms will be served concurrently with each other and with sentences of 25 years in prison for the charge of transportation of illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy and two years in prison for the charge of re-entry after deportation.

"This smuggler jeopardized human lives for personal profit," U.S. Attorney Diane Humetewa said in a news release of Pineda-Doval's sentence. "His 'criminal business' and personal greed resulted in the loss of ten lives here. I applaud the jury's verdict and the law enforcement efforts that resulted in his conviction and the life sentence."

The seats in the Chevrolet Suburban that Pineda-Doval was driving had been removed and folded down in the rear of the vehicle, and none of the passengers was wearing a seat belt. After being confronted by a Border Patrol agent who was patrolling a dirt road used to bypass the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on U.S. Highway 95, Pineda-Doval refused to stop the vehicle despite the pleas of his passengers.

When another agent tried to stop the vehicle using a controlled tire deflation device, Pineda-Doval abruptly swerved the vehicle, traveled off the roadway and swerved again in the opposite direction, causing the vehicle to roll and eject multiple occupants.

Pineda-Doval was arrested after witnesses identified him as the driver. The jury deliberated approximately one hour to find him guilty of all charges during the 2007 trial.

The investigation leading to the guilty verdict was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Sector with assistance from the Yuma County Sheriff's Office and the FBI. The prosecution was handled by Joseph E. Koehler and Raymond Woo, assistant U.S. attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.