Additional Coverage:
- 5 people dead in massive car crash, driver charged (abcnews.go.com)
Austin, Texas – A devastating multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 35 has claimed the lives of five people, including a child and an infant, and left 11 others injured. Authorities have charged 37-year-old Solomun Weldekeal Araya with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault in connection with the incident.
The catastrophic crash occurred around 11:23 p.m. on the southbound lanes of I-35, involving 17 vehicles, including a semi-truck. Emergency responders arrived to a chaotic scene spanning nearly a tenth of a mile, with multiple victims trapped in their vehicles.
Despite the complexity of the wreckage, first responders were able to extricate and transport all critical patients within 40 minutes. Three adults, one child, and one infant were pronounced dead at the scene.
Eleven additional individuals were transported to area hospitals.
The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated a safety investigation into the crash.
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- 5 people dead in massive car crash, driver charged (abcnews.go.com)