Thursday, March 13, 2014

DWI Driver At South And Southwest Music Festival Facing Two Counts Of Capital Murder Charges



Rashad Charjuan Owens

Two people reported killed and 23 injured after DWI driver going the wrong way plowed into a crowd at the Austin's South and Southwest Music Concert crowd.

By H. Nelson Goodson
March 13, 2014

Austin, Texas - On early Thursday around 12:30 a.m., Rashad Charjuan Owens, 22, of Killeen, a DWI driver failed to stop after police attempted to pull him near a gas station. Owens managed to maneuver through parked vehicles at a gas station and fled the wrong way in a one-way street. The DWI suspect then crashed through a barricade into a street crowd in front of the Mohawk, a local nightclub in Red River Street at the South and Southwest Music Concert. At least two people died, a male riding a bicycle and a female riding a moped and 23 others that suffered injuries were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, according to Austin's Police Chief Art Acevedo. Five victims remained in critical condition.
Owens accelerated in a high speed going the wrong way in a one-way street and drove through a crowd on Red River Street injuring at least 23 people. He then crashed into a couple riding a moped, a cab and a van. The couple riding the moped died at the scene. 
Owens after crashing stopped and attempted to flee, but was tased by a police officer and taken into custody. He is now facing two counts of capital murder and 23 counts of aggravated assault by a vehicle, Chief Acevedo stated.
The South and Southwest Musical Festival is a popular five day event that attracts more than 30,000 festivalgoers. The event resumes on Friday.

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