State Glance

BP: Man legally carrying corpse hid people in SUV DOUGLAS — U.S. Border Patrol agents said an Arizona man who was transporting a body to a mortuary is facing human smuggling charges after they found six Mexican citizens hidden inside the vehicle.

The man was driving an SUV when he was stopped earlier this week in Douglas for an immigration inspection, the Border Patrol said Thursday. The man, who wasn’t identified, legally was carrying a human corpse in a body bag as part of his work for a mortuary, the agency said.

The Mexican citizens were processed and accused of immigration violations, according to the Border Patrol. The driver remained in custody.

Arizona COVID-19 patients being sent to New Mexico SANTA FE, N.M. — People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arizona are being transferred to New Mexico hospitals because of staffing shortages and a lack of bed space, under a federal law that requires hospitals to accept patients from neighboring states if beds are available.

Democratic Gov.

Michelle

Lujan Grisham said the transfer of out-of-state patients poses challenges as some New Mexico facilities are at or nearing capacity, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

New Mexico has fewer hospital beds per capita than many other states, she said.

“That means we have less available for our folks here, which means I have to do even a better job at managing COVID and New Mexicans are going to have to have even more personal responsibility than many other Americans,” she said during a recent online interview with The Washington Post.

The University of New Mexico Hospital and Presbyterian Healthcare Services have accepted Arizona patients for treatment, including 96 patients from the Navajo Nation since March, officials said.

The New Mexico Department of Health has confirmed the transfer of patients but said the number is not large enough to affect New Mexico’s ability to provide for its own residents.

Corrections officer on leave after shooting himself in hand TUCSON — A corrections officer in Pima County is on paid administrative leave after he shot through his own hand, and the bullet struck another man in the chest, authorities said Thursday.

Corrections Officer Raul Burruel was off-duty at the time, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said. The agency is investigating the shooting that happened over the weekend but said it doesn’t believe Burruel intentionally fired the handgun. Burruel and the other man were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy James Allerton said Thursday that he didn’t have any further details on the injuries or the conditions of the men.

Burruel, 30, has worked for the sheriff’s office for seven years.

McSally reports raising nearly $9 million for Senate race PHOENIX — Republican Sen. Martha McSally has posted her strongest quarterly fundraising yet, but her haul was still dwarfed by that of her Democratic rival.

McSally reported $8.9 million during the three-month period that ended June 30 and ended the quarter with just under $11 million in the bank.

McSally was appointed to John McCain’s former Senate

seat in 2018 and is in a tough fight to hold onto it. She faces Democrat Mark Kelly, who reported raising more than $12 million during the quarter with $24 million in the bank.

Phoenix freeway reopens after closure due to chemical fire PHOENIX — A fire involving hazardous materials burning in a truck trailer outside an Amazon warehouse snarled traffic in part of Phoenix on Thursday.

Dozens of engines from the Phoenix Fire Department and other units responded to the city’s west side as smoke billowed into the air. Fire Capt. Todd Keller said the smoke had a chemical smell, but he wasn’t sure exactly what was inside the trailer.

A section of Interstate 10 was closed for more than an hour. Nearby businesses were evacuated, and residents were told to stay inside and turn off their air conditioners, Keller said. Local streets also were closed.

The warehouse was evacuated after workers noticed smoke coming from the trailer, said Amazon spokeswoman Lisa Guinn. Employees were sent home with pay. None were injured, she said.