The trucker involved in a March 13 crash on Interstate 35 in Texas is facing 22 charges stemming from the crash that included 17 vehicles and left five people dead.
On Monday, a Travis County grand jury in the 390th Judicial District Court returned a 22-count indictment charging trucker Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, with five counts of manslaughter, two counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, and 15 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to a statement from the Travis County District Attorney's office. All offenses are second-degree felonies.
The manslaughter counts relate to five separate victims. The two counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and the 15 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involve 17 different victims who were injured.
An preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board states the crash occurred March 13 at about 11:20 p.m. on I-35 southbound just north of Parmer Lane in Austin. Three main lanes had been reduced to one for a repaving project. Araya failed to stop for the line of traffic that had occurred.
As a result, five people -- including four from the same family -- died and some 15 others were injured.
