Driver charged with intoxication manslaughter in fatal 17-vehicle car crash in Austin

A man who was involved in a fatal crash late Thursday on Interstate 35 in Austin has been arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two charges of intoxication assault, according to jail records and the Austin Police Department.

Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, had previously been detained amid an ongoing investigation into a collision that occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. on southbound I-35 near Parmer Lane. The crash killed five people, including an infant and a child, and injured at least a dozen others. All lanes remained closed as of mid-morning Friday.

Emergency medical services treated 17 patients in 17 vehicles, including a semi-truck, according to Austin-Travis County EMS, which reported five dead at the scene: one infant, one child and three adults.

First responders transported 11 other patients, several with critical, life-threatening injuries. Another refused transport. The names and ages of the victims have not been made public.

The Austin Police Department said in a statement that it did not “have an expected time frame” for when it would release the identities of the victims but that it typically takes take several days.

“Due to the size of the incident and the many people involved, the release will likely be out sometime next week,” the statement said.

I-35 southbound lanes closed, drivers encouraged to use alternate routes

Officials announced the closure of all I-35 southbound lanes around midnight, with traffic being redirected to Parmer Lane. In a 9 a.m. update, TxDOT said the main lanes would remain closed for “several more hours as law enforcement continues to investigate.”

“Use SH 130 as an alternate route,” the agency said in a social media post. “Tolls are being waived from SH 45 to US 290 East.”

What do we know about the injured?

Captain Christa Stedman, a public information officer for ATCEMS, said at a 2 a.m. press conference Friday morning that 11 injured victims had been taken to area hospitals, and that all critical patents were transported within 40 minutes.

“This incident was incredibly chaotic and spread out over about a tenth of a mile,” Stedman said. “Considering how complex this scene was, that is pretty impressive.”

Here’s what we know about those injured in the crash:

• Two adults transported to St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries.

• Three adults transported to Dell Seton Medical Center: Two with critical, life-threatening injuries and one with minor injuries.

• Three children transported to Dell Children’s Medical Center: One with potentially life-threatening injuries and two with minor injuries.

• Three adults transported to Seton Medical Center with minor injuries.

St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center told the American-Statesman on Friday morning that one patient was treated and released, and another is currently in fair condition.

For anyone needing to speak with APD Victim Services regarding early Friday morning’s crash, call 512-974-5037 or email victim.services@austintexas.gov. Victim Services counselors are available to assist.

Staff writers Nicole Villalpando and Emiliano Gomez contributed to this report

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Man charged with intoxication manslaughter in fatal I-35 crash in Austin