2 sentenced in fatal Washington County rollover

Two men connected to a deadly June 7 truck rollover outside St. George that killed two and injured six illegal immigrants appeared in federal court this week.

Eduardo Barrios-Socop pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death and was sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison before being deported.

The plea and sentence came one day after co-defendant Eswin Enrique Lopez was sentenced to 27 months in prison before his deportation.

The accident took place near Apple Valley in Washington County. Prosecutors say Lopez was driving the truck with six others in the cab; all were from either Mexico or Guatemala, bound for Las Vegas. Lopez reportedly lost control of the truck and it rolled, fatally ejecting a 31-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man. They say Socop helped to arrange the trip.

However, new evidence brought forward by defense attorneys showed that the accident likely was caused by a faulty ball joint in the truck.

In court Thursday, U.S. District Judge Paul Cassell did note that it did not appear the men caused the accident but said they should not have been transporting illegal aliens.

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