SXSW Car Crash Claims Third Victim
The tragic car accident that cast a pall over last week's South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas has now been responsible for three lives. The news was confirmed by the Austin Police Department.
Rolling Stone reports that Sandy Thun Le, a 26-year old native of Mississippi, died Sunday night at the University Medical Center Brackenridge. She had been in critical condition since arriving at the hospital early Thursday (March 14) after being struck by a car.
The crash occurred when a black sedan broke through a barricade and collided with a crowd outside the Mohawk Bar, killing two instantly. Police had been chasing the car after it sped off during a DWI stop at a gas station.
Rashad Charjuan Owens, a 21-year old who had been arrested in 2011 for driving under the influence, was apprehended. He has already been charged with two counts of capital murder and multiple counts of assault, and now faces a possible third murder charge. "The whole case will be presented to a Travis County Grand Jury and they will determine what, if any, other charges will be added," said a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department.
Five of the 23 injured people remain in the hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.