SXSW Drunk Driver Facing 4 New Charges & Additional $500K Bail

FUSE TV - SXSW Drunk Driver Facing 4 New Charges & Additional $500K Bail

Update (4/20): Rashad Owens is facing four new charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Austin-American Statesman. The new charges reportedly stem from injuries ranging from scratches to a fractured neck. Owens now faces a total of 24 charges of aggravated assault. Police also tackled on an additional $500,000 to Owens’ $5 million in bail. 

UPDATE (4/1): The driver, 21-year-old Rashad Owens, has also been charged with 20 counts of aggravated assault. He's already been charged with one count of capital murder for the incident that left four people dead.

UPDATE (3/27): Two weeks after a drunk driver drove into a crowd in Austin during SXSW, Austin police confirm a fourth person passed away from injuries sustained during the crash.

UPDATE (3/17): Sandy Le, a resident of Austin, passed away on Tuesday. Le, who was last listed in critical condition, is the third person to die as a result of the crash. 

UPDATE (3/13): Mohawk Bar, which was one of the sites of this morning's accident, has announced in conjunction with SXSW that it will go on with its scheduled shows tonight. "After talking with the Austin Police Department, we have determined that the most prudent course of action is to move forward with the SXSW shows scheduled at the Mohawk and Cheer Up Charlie's tonight. If we were to turn away potentially thousands of people who will arrive to see the shows, it would create a serious safety issue," said SXSW Founder Roland Swenson in a press release.

The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Rashad Charjuan Owens. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Owens was arrested in Alaska in 2011 for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. He also has an open warrant in the state.

Original story: Two people were killed and ten others remain hospitalized after a drunk driver plowed through a barrier and into a crowd early Thursday morning at SXSW in Austin, TX. A total of 25 people were hurt during the incident, and of those ten still in the hospital, five suffered life-threatening injuries.

According to Austin police, the driver, whose name will be released later today, was initially pulled over at a nearby gas station under the suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Before police could approach the vehicle, the driver sped away from the gas station and down 9th Street before making a right turn onto Red River Street, where he crashed through a gate and into a crowd lined up at Mohawk Bar to see Tyler, the Creator's set at House of Vans.

From there, the suspect continued to speed down Red River Street, crossing 10th Street before striking a man on a bicycle and two people riding a moped. He came to a stop on 11th Street after hitting a taxi and a parked van. The suspect fled on foot, but was Tasered by police and apprehended. The manriding the bike, who has been identified by the creative music firm MassiveMusic as employee Steven Craenmehr, was pronounced dead at the scene. So was one of the two, a woman, on the moped. The other occupant of the moped, a man, remains hospitalized.

According to police, the driver will be charged with two counts of capital murder and multiple other counts of aggravated assault. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon that he considered the incident an "intentional act." Acevedo also stressed that he believes SXSW should continue, saying that a cancellation of the festival would be "a win for evil."

Festival directors announced Thursday afternoon that SXSW will go on as planned, with the exception of events scheduled to take place on the streets that now constitute the crime scene. Those will either be rescheduled or cancelled; Stereogum, which had its showcase set for this afternoon at Mohawk, announced that it has been canceled.

Roland Swenson, the managing director of SXSW, said on Thursday that this is the first time that there has been a "loss of life" at the festival. Police told reporters that they were first notified of the incident at 12:32 a.m. local time, and that trauma victims were removed from the scene and transported to area hospitals within 15 minutes. Other victims with less severe injuries were taken away within 47 minutes.

Game Face

1h 34m

Game Face

Game Face - Trailer

2m

Game Face - Trailer

Facing The Truth

20m

Facing The Truth

Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story

1h 22m

Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story

Fresh Faces of Comedy

20m

Fresh Faces of Comedy

Tyler Perry: Man of Many Faces

40m

Tyler Perry: Man of Many Faces

New York, New York

21m

New York, New York

Martin Moreno Faces His One-Handed Woes

2m

Martin Moreno Faces His One-Handed Woes

Final 4 Fiesta

45m

Final 4 Fiesta

New Generation

56s

New Generation

New Beginnings

20m

New Beginnings

New Blood

45m

New Blood

Recap: Season 1, Episode 4

58s

Recap: Season 1, Episode 4

Teaser: Season 1, Episode 4

42s

Teaser: Season 1, Episode 4

Ep 4 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 4 Recap: G-Thing

A New High

1h 39m

A New High

New Cage King

44m

New Cage King

Young M.A Extended Scene 4

1m

Young M.A Extended Scene 4

New Boss of Bounce

21m

New Boss of Bounce

New Girl In Town

22m

New Girl In Town

A New High - Trailer

2m

A New High - Trailer

Transcendent Season 1, Episode 4: First Look

43s

Transcendent Season 1, Episode 4: First Look

Saturday Morning Fever Episode 4: First Look

3m

Saturday Morning Fever Episode 4: First Look

King Keraun Learns How To Crochet A Face Mask From A Pro Knitter

8m

King Keraun Learns How To Crochet A Face Mask From A Pro Knitter

New York Skate Of Mind

22m

New York Skate Of Mind

The New York City Hustle

1m

The New York City Hustle

Recap: Fluffy Breaks Even Season 2, Episode 4

2m

Recap: Fluffy Breaks Even Season 2, Episode 4

Recap: "Fluffy Breaks Even" Season 1, Episode 4

1m

Recap: "Fluffy Breaks Even" Season 1, Episode 4

Season 3, Episode 4: Fluffy's Food Adventures Recap

35s

Season 3, Episode 4: Fluffy's Food Adventures Recap

The Cadets and Their Spankin New Toys

43s

The Cadets and Their Spankin New Toys

LGBTQIA Community, What Is The New Norm?

6m

LGBTQIA Community, What Is The New Norm?

RiRi Teases 'R9' With New Merchandise

2m

RiRi Teases 'R9' With New Merchandise

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 4: Find History and 'Magic' in Atlanta

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 4: Find History and 'Magic' in Atlanta

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

The DCI Struggles of Starting A New Summer

46s

The DCI Struggles of Starting A New Summer

Fluffy Tries Buttery Chargrilled Oysters at New Orleans Acme

3m

Fluffy Tries Buttery Chargrilled Oysters at New Orleans Acme

Fuse's Wildest New Series The Hollywood Puppet Shitshow: Sneak Peak

1m

Fuse's Wildest New Series The Hollywood Puppet Shitshow: Sneak Peak

G Fella Delivers More Grilling Tips and Talks New Music

4m

G Fella Delivers More Grilling Tips and Talks New Music

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

3m

The Exclusive Premiere of Big Freedia's New Music Video, "BigFoot"

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 6: Beads and Voodoo In New Orleans

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 6: Beads and Voodoo In New Orleans

New York Rapper G Fella Pens Anthem for Playoff Knicks: G-Thing

1m

New York Rapper G Fella Pens Anthem for Playoff Knicks: G-Thing

Cajun Fried Mac and Cheese Balls In New Orleans: Fluffy Off the Menu

3m

Cajun Fried Mac and Cheese Balls In New Orleans: Fluffy Off the Menu

Manager Shake Up

20m

Manager Shake Up

Hell Money

8m

Hell Money

I Can Smell That Smell

46m

I Can Smell That Smell

Run for the Border

24m

Run for the Border

Going Social

20m

Going Social

Marissa Challenges Her Mom To A $50 Bet

1m

Marissa Challenges Her Mom To A $50 Bet

Let's Puff Puff Pass This Entire 2020 Election: Hot Tops

4m

Let's Puff Puff Pass This Entire 2020 Election: Hot Tops

The Craziest Moments from Season 2 of Fluffy's Food Adventures

1m

The Craziest Moments from Season 2 of Fluffy's Food Adventures

Divide And Conquer

20m

Divide And Conquer

Diva’s Day In Court

20m

Diva’s Day In Court

Amira & Sam

1h 23m

Amira & Sam

Our Bodies Our Doctors - Trailer

1m

Our Bodies Our Doctors - Trailer

Flaunt It

22m

Flaunt It

More Than A Model

22m

More Than A Model

Our Bodies Our Doctors

1h 14m

Our Bodies Our Doctors

Model Exposure

46m

Model Exposure

Analise, Daley and Hunter

40m

Analise, Daley and Hunter

Russia

21m

Russia

The Reunion

45m

The Reunion

Luck Be A Lady

44m

Luck Be A Lady

Muslim Girls DTF

16m

Muslim Girls DTF

Muslim Girls DTF - Trailer

1m

Muslim Girls DTF - Trailer

Brand Me

44m

Brand Me

Varsity Punks

1h 41m

Varsity Punks

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

20m

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

Woke Tarts

20m

Woke Tarts

Fare is Fair

21m

Fare is Fair

Fight or Flight

22m

Fight or Flight

Sexy Swimsuits

44m

Sexy Swimsuits

How To Be A Disruptor

20m

How To Be A Disruptor

King Keraun Goes "Back to the Future"

6m

King Keraun Goes "Back to the Future"

That Hi-Octane Ish

20m

That Hi-Octane Ish

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

41m

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

Stereotypes: Harmful or Humorous?

23m

Stereotypes: Harmful or Humorous?

Episode 1 Preview: Saturday Morning Fever

1m

Episode 1 Preview: Saturday Morning Fever

Will Devon Deliver & Prove Everyone Wrong?

3m

Will Devon Deliver & Prove Everyone Wrong?

Mysterious Missing Hairline

9m

Mysterious Missing Hairline

Soundcloud Rappers University

9m

Soundcloud Rappers University

Unbreakable - S1 Trailer

1m

Unbreakable - S1 Trailer

That Sideshow Ish

20m

That Sideshow Ish

Jason DeRulo

20m

Jason DeRulo

Should Reality TV Be Nip/Tucked?

23m

Should Reality TV Be Nip/Tucked?