Austin Man Arrested and Charged in Fatal Multi-Vehicle Crash on I-35
A fatal multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas, has resulted in the arrest and charging of 37-year-old Solomun Weldekeal Araya.
According to the Austin Police Department and jail records, Araya has been booked into the Travis County Jail on five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two charges of intoxication assault.
The fatal crash occurred late Thursday night on southbound I-35 near Parmer Lane, claiming the lives of five people, including an infant and a child. At least a dozen others were injured in the collision.
Emergency medical services treated 17 patients in 17 vehicles, including a semi-truck. Five people were pronounced dead at the scene, while 11 others were transported to hospitals with critical, life-threatening injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash, which closed all highway lanes on Friday morning. The lanes reopened around 1 p.m.
The names and ages of the victims have not been made public. Araya’s arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the fatal crash.
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