Manhunt impacts US-Mexico border

CALEXICO ? Leaving the country to Mexico had become nearly as tedious as getting back into the U.S. during the manhunt for former Los Angeles police officer and suspected murderer Christopher Dorner.

The 33-year-old man has been a fugitive since allegedly killing four people in a drama that began unfolding Feb. 3, and the impact of the incident even reached the Valley.

Dorner was involved in a gun battle in Big Bear on Tuesday, and the cabin he was holding up in caught fire. A body was later found in it after police stormed the building. There was no positive identification by press time.

For days, Valley water cooler and dinner table conversations swirled around topics like whether he was in Mexico already or jokes about collecting on the $1 million reward that was offered for his capture.

However, the impact to border communities was more serious.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection upped its security by methodically checking every outbound traveler, which in turn caused quite a traffic backup, particularly in the evening.

Mexicali resident Mart?n Medina Arellano works at the Consulate of Mexico in Calexico and said Friday was the worst day for him with southbound crossing times double what they normally were.

Besides the increased security, it?s already a time of year when there are more field workers returning south after work each day and that was already increasing the border-crossing time.

Calexico police Lt. Gonzalo Gerardo said Imperial Avenue southbound traffic was heavily affected with traffic controllers staying until 1:30 a.m. sometimes the past several nights.

?They?re tired, and it?s going to cost us in the budget. Our budget is based on projections, and we didn?t project that they?d go on a full on manhunt,? he explained.

The department had to call in extra traffic controllers, and as people?s patience decreased, the amount of road-rage incidents correspondingly increased.

Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com

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Source: http://www.ivpressonline.com/ivp-manhunt-impacts-usmexico-border-20130212,0,641672.story?track=rss

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