Police: Survivors say driver in fatal crash was fondling female

BLUFF, Utah - The driver of a sport utility vehicle crammed with suspected illegal immigrants was fondling a female when he lost control and crashed, killing eight men, authorities said, based on accounts from survivors.

It contradicts the driver's claim that he was trying to avoid an animal when the Chevy Suburban rolled a few hours before dawn Monday in southeastern Utah.

"The passengers say no, he wasn't swerving to miss a horse, that he was fondling a female passenger in the front seat of the vehicle," Sgt. Rick Eldredge of the Utah Highway Patrol told The Salt Lake Tribune in a story posted on its Web site Tuesday.

The vehicle rolled several times on U.S. 191 in the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Six people died at the scene. Two more later died, and six others were injured, one critically.

Their conditions were not immediately available Tuesday.

Authorities determined that 11 of the 15 people were from Guatemala and three were from Mexico. Federal agents were investigating the crash as a possible case of human trafficking.

The driver, a Guatemalan, was being held on immigration violations unrelated to the crash. He appeared to have a valid Arizona driver's license.

The Suburban was registered to an owner in Mesa, Ariz., UHP said.