The driver of a deadly crash in Brownsville on Sunday was officially charged with manslaughter.
The Brownsville Police Department revealed the driver’s identity in the fatal crash that killed eight people on May 7.
Officials said in a press conference that they had responded to multiple reports of a major crash at 8:29 a.m. Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda said that as officers responded to the scene, they discovered “multiple casualties,” several injuries, and the driver of a heavily damaged gray SUV.
“Through the investigation, it was found that the SUV ran a red light, lost control, flipped on its side, and struck a total of 18 individuals,” said Sauceda during the press conference. “It was further found that there were six fatalities on scene and 12 critically injured.”
Officials confirmed a total of eight casualties from this event.
The victims were primarily Venezuelan men. Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, told NBC DFW that the men were waiting for a bus to return to downtown Brownsville after spending the night at a local shelter.
Officers revealed the driver of the SUV as 34-year-old George Alvarez. Sauceda said that Alvarez had attempted to flee the scene but was stopped and held down by multiple citizens.
Alvarez is a Brownsville resident with multiple convictions, including two previous accounts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Officials revealed that Alvarez was officially charged with eight counts of manslaughter and ten counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond totaled $3.6 million.
Alvarez was hospitalized to treat his injuries from the crash. He was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time.
Officers are continuing their investigation into the events of the crash. Officials also submitted a blood sample from Alvarez to the Texas Department of Public Safety to verify if he was intoxicated.
