Five arrested in Athol for immigration violations

Five Mexican citizens were arrested Wednesday night in Athol and booked into the Kootenai County jail for federal immigration violations, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office.

The release said KCSO deputies were patrolling in the area of the Super 1 Foods about 8:30 p.m. when they observed a suspicious occupied vehicle in the parking lot. 

While conducting a records check on the vehicle’s license plate, several subjects exited the vehicle and walked into the store, the release said.

The record check revealed the registered owner of the vehicle had a federal arrest warrant for previously being deported. 

"As the deputies went to check the vehicle, the subjects who had originally walked into the store exited and upon seeing the deputies turned and ran back into the store," the release said. "A deputy briefly pursued the subjects into the store and detained them."

U.S. Border Patrol officials responded and took the subjects to jail.