Austin police say a 21-year-old man is now in custody, months after a predawn hit-and-run on the I-35 southbound service road near East Sixth Street left a pedestrian dead. The crash happened just before 3 a.m. on Jan. 31, and investigators later identified the victim as Aaron William Johnson. From the outset, detectives treated the case as a vehicular homicide while they combed through surveillance footage and fielded tips from witnesses.
According to KXAN, Austin police arrested 21-year-old Marlon Samir Caracamo-Carias in connection with the deadly crash. Investigators reportedly relied on footage from the downtown HALO camera network, along with other surveillance video, to track the vehicle’s movements before and after the impact. Police did not immediately release formal charges, the outlet reported.
How downtown cameras led detectives to a suspect
An affidavit cited by KXAN states that HALO cameras captured the vehicle both shortly before and shortly after the collision and “showed the suspect’s vehicle momentarily braked” near the scene. The document also says Caracamo-Carias admitted to investigators that he was the driver seen on the footage, and detectives described the wreck as one of Austin’s early 2026 traffic fatalities.
Crash scene and downtown response
The collision occurred on the north I-35 southbound service road at East Sixth Street, a stretch that closed ramps and snarled the downtown commute after first responders arrived. Emergency crews pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene, and APD’s Vehicular Homicide Unit led the follow-up investigation, including a sweep of nearby camera systems for any additional angles on the crash.
Potential charges and legal background
Failing to stop at the scene of a crash that results in death can be prosecuted as a felony under Texas law, with specific charges depending on the evidence gathered by investigators and the Travis County District Attorney’s office. The relevant rules are detailed in the Texas Transportation Code, which outlines drivers’ duties after collisions and the penalties for leaving the scene. Prosecutors are expected to review forensic vehicle data, witness accounts, and the suspect’s statements before deciding how to proceed…