A man and woman were
killed early this morning after a drunken driver fleeing from a check point
crashed through barricades set up for the South By Southwest festival and
struck the pair and others on a crowded street, police said.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said 23 others were injured,
five critically, in the crash that happened around 12:30 a.m. as the driver
tried to evade a pursuing police officer. One of the people who died was riding
a moped that was hit by the motorist. The other fatality was an individual
riding a bike. The chief said the man also hit pedestrians in front of a club
that was emptying.
During a news conference Acevedo said that the motorist also
struck a cab before crashing, jumping out of his car and trying to run. A
pursuing officer shocked him with a stun gun and took him into custody.
The man, whose name has not been released, is now facing two
counts of capital murder and 23 counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle.
This is a horrible tragedy; my prayers go out to the victims
and their families.
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