SAN ANTONIO – Three people who were part of a group with suspected ties to human smuggling have been arrested and turned over to federal authorities.
Bexar County sheriff’s deputies caught up with them late Wednesday night as the group scattered into a Southwest side neighborhood.
According to a report from the sheriff’s office, a deputy had tried to stop the driver of an SUV for speeding.
When the vehicle came to a stop in the 2800 block of S. Callaghan Road, all ten people inside, including the driver, took off and ran.
Some of them ended up in the 5400 block of Zupan Lane, right outside Hooman Ashkanzad’s front door.
“There were three guys right here,” he said, pointing to the spot where he made the surprise discovery.
He said he got the attention of deputies, who were nearby, and they chased down those three men who by then, had tried to run.
“That was shocking because, you know, you’re at home at night. Suddenly you hear something going on in your yard,” he said.
When he first heard the commotion around 11 p.m., he thought someone might be hurt or in need of help.
Askanzad rushed out of his home to see what he could do.
A native of Iran, he is an immigrant, himself, a new U. S. citizen.
He says he never expected to end up in the middle of what seemed like an episode of the television show, “Cops”.
“I’m really, really appreciative of the sheriff’s department guys because, you know, the TV show, “Bad Boys,” I saw (it) in action,” Ashkanzad said, laughing.
While it seems funny to him now, he admits it was a bit startling at the time.
Deputies spent part of the night doing a thorough search of the neighborhood for the seven other people who ran from the SUV. However, they did not find them.