TEMECULA - A brief chase of suspected illegal immigrants Friday morning left one woman slightly injured after she was pushed from the vehicle being pursued, according to U.S. Border Patrol officials.

The chase started near the immigration checkpoint on northbound Interstate 15 just south of Temecula, said Agent James Jacques, a spokesman at the Border Patrol's San Diego sector office.

"One of the most dangerous things smugglers are doing now is leaving the vehicle in gear as they bail out," Jacques said.

Knowing that pursuing agents will be busy making sure the still-moving vehicle does not injure anyone gives those fleeing a few extra seconds, he said.

In Friday's chase, Jacques said, "It appears a woman was pushed out of the vehicle by someone behind her" as several people tried to get out.

The woman ended up with a dislocated thumb, he said.

Jacques said he did not have information about whether a smuggler or someone else in the vehicle pushed the woman out and whether she was pushed out intentionally to divert pursuing agents.

While Jacques did not have details about where the chase ended, Temecula police were called to assist in the search for those who fled and said it happened near I-15 and Rancho California Road.

Investigator Jerry Franchville, a spokesman for the Police Department, said officers were told of the pursuit around 7:30 a.m. and that Border Patrol agents were looking for about six people who had fled.

Shortly after 8 a.m., Temecula police officers had detained two people who were then turned over to Border Patrol agents, Franchville said.

Contact staff writer John Hall at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2628, or jhall@californian.com.