A deadly crash occurred on Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas, late Thursday night, involving 17 vehicles. The wreck resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including three adults, a child, and an infant, with 11 others injured and taken to local hospitals.
A 37-year-old man, Solomun Weldekeal Araya, was charged with intoxication manslaughter following the incident. He faces five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.
Araya is currently in custody at Travis County Jail, but it is not immediately clear if he has an attorney. Jail records did not list an attorney for him.
Authorities have yet to disclose the circumstances leading to the crash. Police said in an email Friday that the investigation was still in its early stages, and no further information was available.
The southbound lanes of I-35 were closed after the crash and remained closed until about 1 p.m. on Friday. The wreck left a stretch of the interstate littered with mangled vehicles and debris.
“The collision was very large and very complex,” said police Officer Austin Zarling at an early morning news conference.
Edgar Viera, who was at a nearby store when he heard the crash, told NBC affiliate KXAN of Austin that he rushed to help those involved.
“We didn’t have the proper tools to open the vehicles, so we just did what we could,” Viera said. “It was hard to see this.”
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