Deadly I-35 crash: APD chief supports initial decision on intoxication charges

APD chief talks about deadly I-35 crash

A truck driver accused of causing a deadly pile-up on I-35 in March was charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault, but lab results later revealed he was sober.

AUSTIN, Texas - A truck driver accused of causing a deadly pile-up on I-35 in March was charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault, but lab results later revealed he was sober. 

The Austin police chief said she supports her investigators’ initial decision on charges involving intoxication.

Investigation into deadly multi-vehicle crash on I-35

What they're saying:

"The point and the fact does not change that this was the man behind the wheel driving that car," Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said.

Solomun Weldekeal-Araya was driving a semi-truck on I-35 when police said he plowed into the cars ahead as the lanes reduced from three to one. Five people were killed and almost a dozen more were injured.

During the field sobriety test, Austin police said Weldekeal-Araya had uncontrollable eye movements, was swaying, didn’t correctly complete the walk and turn or one-leg stand tests, and appeared very calm and indifferent, which seemed unusual given the circumstances.

I-35 deadly crash driver bonds out

After a bond reduction, the driver bonded out of jail on April 30.

Later, when Weldekeal-Araya was in the hospital, another Austin police officer said "he observed the onset of nystagmus, and he appeared drowsy."

Court documents said the two officers believed Weldekeal-Araya was under the influence of central nervous system depressants.

"In the way that APD does it, when you have the horizontal gaze, and you're going off of that and the officer's looking at that and doing performance measures, a second officer has to verify that before charges are filed. So, a second officer verified that, and so the charges were made," Chief Davis said.

Weldekeal-Araya was arrested and charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.

"It is not uncommon when you get a DUI charge and there are no breathalyzers, or it's showing negative for the breathalyzer, to make those charges and see what the lab results are," Chief Davis said.

Toxicology report on driver in deadly I-35 crash

The attorney for the man accused of causing a deadly pile-up on I-35 on March 13, said an independent lab did not find traces of drugs or alcohol in his blood sample.

The lab results came back, and they showed no alcohol or drugs in Weldekeal-Araya’s system.

Late last month, a judge reduced his bond from more than a million dollars to $7,000 after his attorney argued there wasn’t probable cause to hold him for those charges.

Weldekeal-Araya was released this month. He is not allowed to drive a commercial vehicle and must take random drug tests.

"I don’t have a problem with the investigation. The investigation is ongoing," Chief Davis said.

What's next:

APD said their vehicular homicide unit is working with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office to determine specific charges. 

Weldekeal-Araya’s attorney is set to check in with the district attorney’s office next month.