Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.
According to multiple reports, U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint operations on Interstate 10 near Ehrenberg this past week have resulted in multiple high speed pursuits as motorists with marijuana in their vehicles try to evade law enforcement. The knowledge that Border Patrol was staging checkpoints on the freeway may also have caused traffic to route around them through Parker.
According to the Desert Messenger, on Wednesday Border Patrol agents seized more than $76,000 in marijuana and three weapons during separate incidents involving pursuits. In each case, the incidents involved vehicles alerted by canine teams who sped away through the checkpoint after being asked to pull into a secondary inspection lane.
One pursuit ended when the driver crashed into a concrete barrier and fled on foot. The U.S. citizen’s vehicle allegedly contained 147 pounds of marijuana. A suitcase containing nearly 5 pounds of marijuana was reportedly thrown from a second vehicle before the vehicle stopped for law enforcement, who recovered it. A third vehicle had about a pound of marijuana in it, according to the article.
Parker Live asked La Paz County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Curt Bagby about reports that traffic had been voluntarily re-routing through the Parker area to avoid the Border Patrol operations.
“It’s certainly possible,” he said, adding that it doesn’t take long for information about law enforcement activity to spread. “The checkpoints were a couple of miles east of Ehrenberg, so anybody wanting to avoid contact with Border Patrol would definitely have a strong motivation to come up on the rural highways instead of using the 10.”
The reports shed light on how commonly Interstate 10 is used as a drug trafficking corridor, and how much of the time the drug involved is marijuana, which is proposed for legalization in California and Arizona on November 8th. Both propositions are showing strong support for legalization among likely voters, with around half of voters in favor.
So then what the heck happened last night?? Around midnight my hubby was walking our 8 month old down by the Elks and saw 12 Parker PD AND Sheriff’s vehicles in the vicinity one of which spotlighted him in the face despite seeing the stroller. Not long after, sirens started and he said most went flying off in the same direction and next thing you know three helicopters in the air, one at each hospital and the police chopper. Then at 2:30 this morning while my neighbor borrowed my phone cuz her bf hadn’t come home yet all the sirens in Parker went off again. Come 7:30 this morning little one needed a walk and it all happened again.
Not sure what happened, if law enforcement is looking for someone and see a person walking even if they have a stroller they’ll spot light them to be sure that’s not the person they’re looking for. It may not be a good idea to be walking out at that hour even with a baby. Stay safe everyone.
She was 11 weeks early she has a weird sleep schedule sometimes.
Maybe if they actually did they’re job correctly and actually knew where the drugs are coming in from, we American citizens wouldn’t be criminalized
Well why don’t you just sign up to be a deputy Mr Know it all. Do you thin the drug dealers just post all over the internet their route of travel? SMH
Why would I want to be a deputy candi? So I can be part of the corruption, hell no!
Only certain routes coming into Parker. Think about it. With all departments they should be able to figure it out don’t you think? It’s really that simple. Think before you open your mouth. See what’s going on in your town. But then again who knows you may be part of the problem.