A man was charged on Friday with intoxication manslaughter following a tragic late-night crash in Austin, Texas, that resulted in the deaths of five people and injuries to several others.
The collision, which involved more than a dozen vehicles, occurred on Interstate 35, authorities reported.
Officials confirmed that the crash, which took place just before 11:30 p.m. on Thursday and involved 17 vehicles, claimed the lives of three adults, a child, and an infant. Emergency responders transported 11 individuals to hospitals for treatment.
Austin police announced on Friday that 37-year-old Solomun Weldekeal Araya had been charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.
He is currently being held in Travis County Jail. At this time, it is unclear whether he has legal representation, as jail records do not list an attorney for him.
Authorities have yet to disclose the precise circumstances that led to the devastating wreck. In an email on Friday, police stated that the investigation remains in its early stages and that no additional details are available at this time.
Following the crash, all southbound lanes of I-35 were shut down. They remained closed throughout Friday morning before reopening at approximately 1 p.m. The accident left the interstate strewn with wrecked vehicles and debris.
According to police Officer Austin Zarling, the collision was “very large and very complex,” as he explained during a press briefing early Friday morning.
Edgar Viera, who was near the scene when the accident occurred, told NBC affiliate KXAN in Austin that he rushed to assist those involved after hearing the crash.
“We didn’t have the proper tools to open the vehicles, so we just did what we could,” Viera told the station. “It was hard to see this.”
