17 illegal immigrants in pickup involved in St. Clair wreck

ST. CLAIR, Mo. (AP) -- Seventeen illegal immigrants were in a pickup truck involved in an accident on Interstate 44 in eastern Missouri, authorities said.

The accident happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. Sunday near St. Clair, about 40 miles southwest of St. Louis. Those in the pickup will be turned over to Homeland Security, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The pickup and a car were eastbound and collided. Te driver of the car was unhurt, but six passengers in the pickup were hospitalized. The rest were taken to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and were being held.

Patrol officials said some in the pickup had paid $1,500 to be smuggled into the United States from Mexico.